Lost Destiny
by Captain Space
Summary: Five Bronze Saints. Three reversals of fortune. But no matter what setbacks fate throws at them, the world isn't going to save itself.
1. Chapter 1

**Lost Destiny**

_This chapter might raise some questions—don't worry! I'll answer them._

* * *

_"Seiya, this is Shaina. She will be your teacher from now on."_

_"Sir, I protest! I will not train this Japanese dog just so that he can steal the ancient treasures of our homeland!"_

_"If Seiya wins a Cloth, it will have chosen him to enact justice upon the world, wherever his path takes him. There is no law forbidding a non-Greek from becoming a Saint, is there? We have many such Saints already."_

"_But why me? If you really want a Silver to teach him, Aquila Toma's Japanese like him—"_

"_Toma has never taken on pupils. He is ill-suited to it. You, however, have proven to be a tough but effective teacher. I believe that you will mould Seiya into a great warrior someday."_

* * *

Seiya choked as Shaina's claw-like nails dug into his neck, his legs kicking wildly about as she held him out over the cliff-edge. "The training of a Saint is difficult beyond belief," she monotoned. "You will have to push your body beyond what you thought were its limits, into the realms of impossibility. This is your last chance to leave, and have a normal life."

"I-I can't leave here…" Seiya grunted, gripping Shaina's wrist with both hands. He stared directly into the impassive metal mask. "I can't go back…not until I have a Cloth…that's what they told me…"

_Why is it so important to him…? _Shaina nodded. "I understand. Then we will skip the warm-up and move straight to the impossible—the impossible must, after all, become routine for a Saint. Your training begins now." She released her hold and shook him off, letting him tumble away through the evening air. "If you survive, come and see me back at my quarters!" she called down after him. "Only then will I acknowledge you as my pupil."

She turned and strode off, pausing for a moment as a broad-shouldered, squint-eyed brute of a child came running up to her. "My lady, you dealt with him wonderfully!" he gushed.

She paused for a moment. _I suppose…I really don't want to have to deal with Seiya…he's probably dead, but…I did promise that if he reached me… _"Cassios."

"Yes?"

"Wait here for a few hours. If he reaches the top, kill him."

Cassios saluted, flashing a bloodthirsty, fang-toothed grin. "Yes, ma'am!"

* * *

Seiya dug his fingers further into the jagged precipice he'd grabbed onto for a handhold. He winced as blood dripped down over the back of his hand, twisting into red rivers all the way down his arm. He tried to reach up with his other hand, but a gust of wind slammed him into the cliff-face, and he barely held on with the one hand already in place, breath knocked out of him and more cuts opened up as his face and body smashed against the cruel rock.

Bloodied, bruised, exhausted and freezing, he was more miserable than he'd ever been in his life; he felt his grip slipping, and gave an involuntary gasp, his fingers scraping over the rough surface as gravity continued to take its toll.

_Is this what it's like…to be a Saint? This kind of pain…and this is just the start…_

_I don't think I can do this!_

He closed his eyes and waited to fall—but as the agonisingly-slow seconds ticked past, he found himself remaining in place. _What…? I thought I let go… _Almost against his will, his hand remained locked in place, gripping the outcrop with a frenzy. _Why? Even though it's getting more painful every second…even though just letting it all end would be easier…why can't I let go?_

* * *

_"Seiya! Don't go! Come back, Seiya!"_

* * *

"S-Seika…" _If I don't survive…if I don't return with this Cloth thing…my sister and I will never meet again…!_

_Come on! _He reached up with a trembling hand, shoving his fingers into another painful crevice in the rock, stabilising himself. He managed to find purchase, of a sort, for his feet on the cliff's natural incline. _Just…one hand, one foot at a time! _He began to move upwards, terribly slowly, every new grasp of the cold stone tearing at his raw skin, the cold biting inwards until he could barely feel his limbs. _Just don't think! Don't think about how long it'll take to reach the top…just one hand…one foot…_

That dreadful, endless climb was the moment he first decided—the first time he felt that absolute certainly. The first, but by far not the last, time those words blazed in his mind: _I'm gonna live…and I'm gonna become a Saint!_

_Climb. Up. Hand. Foot. Hand. Foot. Climb. Hand. Foot. Top._

…_top?!_

Finally rolling over, gasping, onto the top of the cliff felt _wrong _somehow—as if after such an eternity of climbing, it was no longer natural for him to be on flat ground.

A huge smile broke out on his face, and he began to breathe normally—just before he felt the true pain of his accumulated injuries. His limbs were covered in cuts and scratches, many of which would leave permanent scars, and his hands were a bloody mess.

So naturally, Cassios seemed to wait until this pain had kicked in to notice Seiya, come running up to him and kick him square in the ribs.

Seiya rolled away, lifting himself off the ground with a great effort and rising to face his assailant. The fatigue was getting to him, and Cassios swum and blurred before his eyes, splitting into two and floating in circles. Seiya rubbed his eyes with a forearm, shaking his head and trying to focus. "Wh-Who the hell are you?!"

"I am Cassios! Lady Shaina's _true_ pupil!" The trainee grinned, taking slow steps towards Seiya. "Once I kill you, my real training will begin…she's going to teach me the power of a Saint, and I'm gonna win my Pegasus Cloth!"

"Sorry…" Seiya felt the certainty surge for a moment again. "You're gonna miss out. Pegasus…is mine."

"Like hell!" Cassios growled, lumbering into motion. Seiya ducked away as Cassios lunged, striking back with his elbow (not wanting to subject his hands to any more injury) at Cassios' side. Aiming for his head would have been impossible—despite being only Seiya's age, Cassios was already the size of a full-grown man.

When Seiya's attack hit him, however, after flinching back for a moment, Cassios straightened up, chuckling. "Wherever you came from, they taught you to fight…but I barely felt that." Now that Seiya was back at close range, he responded with a backhanded swipe that spun the Japanese aspirant around in mid-air, landing him on his face. "Is it because you're so tiny?" Cassios wondered aloud. "Or because of how tired you are right now? Both, I guess…"

Seiya raised his head, forcing his eyes open and clenching his teeth, yet more blood seeping from between his teeth and dripping to the ground. "C-Cassios…why do you want to be a Saint? What's…your reason?"

Cassios stomped over towards Seiya, cracking his knuckles. "No special reason. I wanna get stronger, I guess. When you're strong, people let you do what you want." He bent down, reaching for his prone opponent.

"That's not—" Jerking into motion, Seiya flipped onto his back, swinging his arm up, a large rock clenched in his fist, smashing it into the side of Cassios' face, sending multiple teeth flying. "—good enough!" Cassios staggered back, howling, and stumbled around for a few seconds while Seiya tried to catch his breath. "Not just…for its own end," he wheezed. "It has to…mean something."

"And who let you make the rules…" Cassios muttered, wincing as the cracks in his jaw began to make themselves felt. He let out a guttural roar, pouncing back towards Seiya, who tried to scramble away, kicking madly out at Cassios, but his attacks had no effect at all on the enraged giant. He twisted and rolled in a panic, somehow evading his attacker, who continued to reach and grab at him. Finally, the great gnarled hands caught him around the waist, and as Cassios rose Seiya was hoisted with him, his efforts to break free completely futile.

"Got you," Cassios breathed, lizard-like eyes lit with a hungry glow. He withdrew one hand from Seiya's waist, leaning in close and reaching out towards his head. "First," he continued, "I'll take, hmm…how about an ear?"

As the hand swiped at him, Seiya ducked his head—and suddenly found himself staring directly at Cassios' throat. Without thinking, only seeing his terrible enemy momentarily vulnerable before him, he leaned forwards and bit down hard, shoving both hands into Cassios' chest to propel himself backwards as he tore away—and _then _he realised what he'd done.

* * *

Shaina looked up with some surprise—_Cassios' footsteps are heavier than that…but…it couldn't be!_

Seiya entered the room, each step slow and measured, doing his utmost to stay conscious and stay on his feet. "Cassios…is dead," he mumbled.

Shaina flinched. _By…this child?! No! _"How?" she demanded, standing and glaring down at him.

Seiya raised his head for the first time, revealing the enormous red stain—obviously not his own—covering his neck and the lower half of his face, particularly around his mouth. "Take a guess." He was beyond the point of caring what she thought now, absorbed in his own fear and disgust.

Shaina watched silently as he staggered over to the wall and collapsed against it, losing consciousness. She pondered the day's events for a minute. _I suppose…I can make something of him, perhaps…_

* * *

_Six years later…_

Seiya circled his opponent, Synithis—a wiry, tall teen who had a similarly impressive track record to him. But, though he didn't want to say this out loud for fear of wounding the man's pride, Seiya knew there was no comparison between them.

He dodged back and forth, counting each of Synithis' blows as he evaded them. The final one hissed by, and with a somersault he landed behind Synithis, straightening up. "60 punches in one second…that's not bad, but you've still got a lot to learn." He turned back to look over his shoulder. "Have you ever felt the true Cosmos within you?"

"True…?" Synithis frowned.

* * *

_"Seiya…Cosmos is what gives a Saint their power. We are all composed of atoms created in the Big Bang, the birth of the universe. A Saint has the potential to re-awaken that power, and reproduce it on a small scale! There is a universe—a cosmos—of power within you, Seiya, if you can awaken to it!"_

* * *

"Let me show you," Seiya said, smiling as he slid his feet apart, beginning to move his hands in a rhythmic, swaying pattern—as Synithis realised, passing through the positions of each of the thirteen stars in the Pegasus constellation in turn.

_He's standing still, at least…can't waste this opportunity! _Synithis decided, rushing in at Seiya and drawing back both arms to strike—too late.

"PEGASUS—" Seiya swung his right arm out, his whole body taking a half-turn to face him side-on to his target, arm darting out far faster than normal human eyes could follow, his blows appearing as crackling bolts of violent blue energy swirling around Synithis and striking him from all sides. "—THUNDER CLAW!"

Shaina observed all this, grinning behind her mask when she saw Synithis wasn't getting up. _Eighty-five punches a second…the fastest he's ever been. This means a lot to him—he's giving more than he ever thought he had._

The Pope, an intimidating figure in his elaborate robe and helmet, rose to his feet as a gentle ripple of applause filled the Coliseum. The Pope held up a hand for quiet. "The battle is decided!" He faced Seiya directly, silhouetted for a moment against the setting sun. "From this moment on, until the end of your life or until you choose to pass on your legacy to another, you are the Bronze Saint—Pegasus Seiya!"

Seiya's heart swelled at the words, and he approached the Pegasus Clothbox sitting in front of the Pope with a slow reverence, gingerly placing one hand on it. "Remember," the Pope continued, voice growing sterner, "this Cloth is a weapon that must only ever be used for a righteous cause! Should you use your power for evil or selfish gain, Saints from all around the world will descend upon you to destroy you!"

"Y-Yes, sir!" Seiya beamed despite himself, saluting for a moment before grasping the Clothbox and hoisting it two-handed. _Well, Seika? I told you I'd do it…now, I'm coming home for you!_

* * *

_Mount Olympus…_

Artemis, goddess of the hunt, approached her immobile Angel servant across the throne room, beginning to walk in slow circles around her. "Marin, Marin," she sighed. "This is getting worse…every time I send you away on a mission to Earth, you slip away to look for your brother…"

Marin nodded silently, acknowledging this.

"It's really affecting your performance in your assignments. I can't have that. Listen to me." Artemis stopped in front of Marin, eyes narrowing. "You are no longer the human you once were. You are my Angel now. That is the price you paid for me saving his life, remember?"

"I…remember, my queen," Marin managed.

"Good. But I have prepared something for you, just in case…" Artemis smiled unpleasantly, producing a thin silver object. "It's a special mask, just for you…to _help _you remember."

* * *

_Next week, we check in at Death Queen Island, to see how some more fates have been altered._

_Anyway, as I said, questions I predict you might have (though obviously feel free to ask anything else, or to ask for clarification on any of these):_

_-Will there be more changes between this AU timeline and canon?_

_A few, yeah. I'm basically beginning with three major changes to the set-up—the first of which we've seen here (Marin and Toma have changed places, resulting in Seiya being given to Shaina for training instead)—and then proceeding from there._

_-How come Seiya doesn't have Pegasus' signature attack?_

_Well, we know the Ryuseiken isn't necessarily specific to the Pegasus Saint. Crateris Suikyo from Next Dimension knows it, and taught it to Tenma; and in the main series, Marin knows it, and taught it to Seiya—and she has, in fact, used it in battle, further confirming this. Hence, "Ryuseiken" (Meteor Fist/Punch) on its own is a non-specific attack, but can have a "Pegasus" spin put on it. So I decided given the change of teachers, Seiya would do the same but with a different attack. Will this_ _make this slightest bit of difference?_

…_actually, yes, it will._

_-Toma? As in _that _Toma?_

_Yes, the very-strongly-hinted-to-be-Marin's-brother Toma, from Tenkai-hen Overture and Next Dimension, i.e. Artemis' Angel. I'm going with the Next Dimension version, because it's cooler…and also because in general, it's just best to try and forget Overture ever happened._

_-Is Seiya's killing Cassios going to affect him?_

_Oh, yes._

_-Anime or manga canon?_

_Mainly manga, as the storyline is overall more streamlined, but the anime has done a couple of moments I prefer its version of, so don't be surprised if I dip into it occasionally—don't worry, though, I'll always make it clear when I do so (and in general what the difference is, in case you're only familiar with one or the other)._


	2. Chapter 2: Death Queen Inferno

**Chapter 2: Death Queen Inferno**

_Some manga-only elements in this chapter, as I'll explain at the end. __Anyway, I hope the first part isn't too same-y with canon; the aim of that scene is to show that, subjected to the same or similar stresses, someone who starts higher has much further to fall when they do break._

* * *

_"Shun—Death Queen Island!"_

"_No! You can't send my brother there! He'll die! Let me go instead!"_

"_Sit down, Ikki! You'll go to Andromeda Island as planned."_

"_You don't care, as long as _someone _gets a Cloth! Just let me go to Death Queen Island!"_

"_That's _enough_—Ikki! Someone get him out of here!"_

* * *

Shun sat bolt upright, wide-eyed. "Ikki!" he gasped, before coming to his senses. _Ikki…I hope you're all right…I'm just glad you're not here on Death Queen Island in my place. I don't think I could live with myself if you were…_

* * *

"Useless!" Guilty, Shun's battle-crazed instructor, snarled, deflecting Shun's attack and kicking him to the ground. "I'm still not getting through to you, I guess…when you train on your own, your power and technique are first-rate—your potential is clear to see. But when you have to fight me, a living target, you come over all soft." He crouched down next to Shun. "You've got no killer instinct! You'll never become a Saint like that."

"Out of the question," Shun said firmly. "I'm not leaving here without the Phoenix Cloth."

"Then you'll have to learn to go all-out against an enemy. And, you know…I've told you how to do that."

Shun shook his head. "And I've refused you every time. I accept your training of my body…but don't try and tell me how to think."

"Hatred!" Guilty seethed, slapping a fist into his palm. "Let hatred fill your heart, burning you up from within! Let it break down the barriers that hold back your true power!"

"Hate? Hate who?"

"Hate me for working you so hard! Hate your brother for not going in your place! Hate destiny for dealing you this hand! And most of all, hate Mitsumasa Kido for sending his own son to such a cruel fate!"

"H-His own…" Shun jumped to his feet, staring at Guilty in shock. "What did you say?!"

_Come on…This shock should be the push he needs… _"You heard me. All of you orphans—you're his children, half-brothers all. And this is how he treats you."

"I…" Shun wavered, the bottom dropping out of his world as the hope of someday reuniting with a distant, loving family disappeared. Even if he had been a better father, Kido had passed away not long ago, and Shun's mother, he now realised, could be any one of nearly a hundred women, none of whom he knew the first thing about. "I…no." He finally shut his eyes, slumping forwards onto his knees. "There's just…no hatred in my heart, for anyone. I can't make myself feel something like that."

"Tchah!" Guilty spat. "Hopeless!" He took a quick step forwards, punching Shun in the stomach and sending his unresisting body rolling away down the charred hill. "Today's lesson is over."

* * *

Shun opened his eyes to the sensation of a damp cloth being gently dabbed over his injuries. "Esmerelda…" he whispered, smiling weakly.

"It hurts me to see you like this," the girl—his only non-psychotic human contact on the island—said. "It's kind of scary, with how much you look like me…my father's so violent…"

"He has made me stronger, though," Shun said. "I think I should be grateful for his teachings."

"Stop being such a martyr!" Esmerelda said sternly, shaking her head and leaning back. "If someone wrongs you, it's okay to blame them for it."

"I guess you're right." Shun sat up, carefully putting his hand on hers. "I…thank you, Esmerelda. You've always been here for me…I think I'd have gone insane without you."

"Shun…I…" She glanced around to make sure they were alone, then said in a low voice, "I hate this island. I want to go. When you…when you get your Cloth, and leave here…will you take me with you? You'll be stronger than my father then, right?"

Shun nodded without hesitation. "Right! I promise."

* * *

Shun yelped, tasting dirt in his mouth as he pushed himself back up to his knees, hearing footsteps approach behind him.

"This is your final day," Guilty said gravely. "The last chance you have to prove to me that you have what it takes to be a Saint. So far, I'm not impressed."

"I…" Shun dug his fingers into the dirt, steeling himself, before standing, eyes hardening. "I don't have to prove anything to you! You don't know anything about what Saints are supposed to be!"

"And you do, boy?"

"A Saint is supposed to protect the peace of the world! Hatred, rage—those are things for aggressors, people the world needs to be protected _from_!" Shun yelled, voice cracking, the words sounding hollow.

"…fine." Guilty shrugged. "Let's see whose idea of Sainthood triumphs today." A distant rumble, one of the island's semi-active volcanoes going off in the distance, seemed to punctuate his words. "But I'm not letting you have the Phoenix Cloth while I still live." He advanced, landing a heavy punch to the side of Shun's face, staggering the trainee back a step.

Shun took a deep breath, clenching his fists and trying to abandon his inhibitions. _I'm not going to kill him, just defeat him…why can't I stop shaking? _He lunged, ducking under Guilty's next strike and rising with an uppercut—Guilty moved with blinding speed, catching his fist. Shun struggled to continue his attack's motion nonetheless. _Ikki…Esmerelda…all my brothers…give me strength! _"Graaah!" With a great heave, he shoved Guilty's arm up and backwards with such force that the crazed Saint was thrown off his feet, spinning uncontrollably through the air; halfway through his arc, however, he righted himself, smashing a return blow into Shun's chest and bringing him down again, Guilty landing neatly on his feet.

Shun groaned, trying and failing to get up. _I-I'm sorry…I couldn't do it, in the end…I guess I'll never see you again, Ikki…_

"So. In the end, you were just a waste of my time," Guilty said, not seeming particularly bothered by this. "I can't say I'm surprised. Well…goodbye." He swung a faintly-glowing hand down towards Shun, aiming to finish him off. The laziness of this strike, borne of the knowledge that his target had given up the fight, caused it to be much slower than normal, however—something that certainly saved Shun's life.

Shun waited for the end—but when he heard the dreadful crunch of Cosmos-empowered fist piercing flesh and bone, he felt nothing. He looked up, confused, and immediately froze in horror. Esmerelda stood between them, having thrown herself into the path of Guilty's attack, preventing it from reaching Shun as much by her father's shock as anything else. She looked back over her shoulder, face twitching. "Shun…r-run away from here…this isn't…" She got no further, falling back face-up and lying still.

Guilty flinched back, stunned. _I was so focused on him…I didn't notice her at all! Stupid girl…she should never have gotten so attached to him… _He looked over at Shun, now crouching over Esmerelda's body, expecting loud bawling. Instead, there was utter silence. Somehow, that was unnerving even to him. Guilty took a slow step back.

The instant as his foot touched the rock, Shun's head snapped up at the noise, fire in his eyes, lip trembling. "I…I think…" he said, teeth scraping together, "…I think there is some hatred in me after all…you found it." A moment later, he was in front of Guilty, his movement too fast to follow, his body now radiating a fiery red aura. "Do you know what you've created, Guilty?" The glow grew in both size and intensity, its mere presence forcing Guilty back several steps, gusts of flame swirling around the two of them, slicing through the rocky landscape around them.

_What a furious Cosmos…Wait. What's that in the flames? _Guilty narrowed his eyes, squinting at the space above Shun's head. _Behind him…it's… _The fire was clearly formed into the distinctive shape, the one emblazoned in Guilty's mind. _Phoenix! _He gulped. "Kill me, then! Do it now!"

Shun raised one arm, the tempest dying down and vanishing. "Well…you know I could." He gave a cruel smile. "But you wouldn't suffer enough…so, maybe I'll show you that I was paying more attention to your lessons than you thought." He raised one finger, a tiny orange gleam emerging from the tip.

"T-That can't be—!" Guilty spluttered.

Shun's image blurred, and then he was behind Guilty, arm outstretched, a thin beam of light stretching back from his extended finger, through the back of Guilty's head and out his forehead. "Phoenix…Genma Ken," Shun said heavily.

Guilty sank to his knees, clawing at the tribal mask concealing his face. "Ggghk…!"

Shun stood next to him, arms folded. "That scarred body…all that hatred…being tasked by Sanctuary to guard _Death Queen Island _in the first place…a man like you has seen a lot he'd like to forget, I'd imagine. For an attack that causes the victim's psyche to destroy itself…a lot to work with, right? I can only imagine what you're gong through right now."

"AAAAAAIIIIIIAAAAA!" Guilty pressed his head to the ground, hands furiously clawing at the earth, rivers of sweat drenching his body as he shook with terror.

"Hm." Shun gave a final, satisfied look back as he walked off. _Now all that remains is to claim my Cloth…from the _other _inhabitants of this island…Guilty always told me to stay away from the Black Saints until I was ready. Well, I need to kill _something _to let off some steam after holding back for so long._

_They'll do._

* * *

Django, self-proclaimed master of Death Queen Island, hurried down the canyon, Phoenix Clothbox clutched between his arms, glancing about and hoping he would finally find a living Black Saint—but all of his henchmen that he came across had been either scorched beyond recognition, or almost broken in half by a single physical blow of terrifying power, their Black Cloths shattered completely, their assailant nowhere to be found.

"Where are you?!" he bellowed, spinning in wild circles. "Come out and face me!"

"If you want," a mocking voice called out from behind him—deceptively soft, with a hint of underlying steel. Django swivelled, spotting a ruggedly-dressed, green-haired pretty-boy standing on the clifftop above him. As he watched, the youth heaved four bodies over the ledge, letting them fall in front of Django—the Black Pegasus, Black Dragon, Black Cygnus and Black Andromeda Saints; the so-called 'Black Four', Death Queen Island's finest, all beaten senseless. Their attacker didn't appear to have so much as a hair out of place.

"H-How could…" Django said tremulously, backing away, "…who _are_ you?"

"I'm the Phoenix," Shun replied. "Now give me my Cloth."

Django threw the box down behind him, sneering. "Just try and take it, kid!" A wave of fire emerged from his fingertips, and he launched it forwards, completely engulfing Shun. "Death Queen Inferno!"

"Tch." Shun slowly became visible at the centre of the flames, unharmed—and the storm seemed to be growing.

Django shrank back. _They're no longer under my control!_

"You call that heat? I don't feel a thing…how did you ever command the Black Four with that kind of power?" Shun took a step forwards, the ground warping and melting around his tread. "I left them alive, since they might be useful later…but you're just trash. Still, for the grand finale, I should do something special…" He grinned. "Guilty created an attack symbolising the beat of the Phoenix's wings, to fully channel the Phoenix's Saint's flames. What he didn't know…is that I improved on it."

"G-Get away…!" Django wailed as Shun raised one arm, stretching out all five fingers.

"Don't bother pleading! PHOENIX STORM!" Shun snapped, flexing his arm and releasing an enormous wave of light and heat, the attack rushing head-on into Django and eating away at his body; he screamed for a brief moment, but before long there was no longer anything left of him, barely even a pile of ash.

"Heh." Shun withdrew his arm, letting his Cosmos cool a little. "He's completely gone…did I use too much strength?" He shrugged, turning to his true prize—the Phoenix Clothbox. Already it hummed with power as he approached it, its angry, violent energy synchronising with his own—as soon as he put a hand to it, it burst open, revealing a gleaming metallic statue, a highly-stylised phoenix. A second later, it broke apart, each piece flying through the air and onto his body, clamping on and changing shape slightly to fit him perfectly. _It feels so natural…like a second skin! I don't feel its weight at all! And this power… _The Cloth brimmed with energy, re-vitalising him and lifting his spirits.

"I never imagined…" He gazed down at his armoured body, trying a few movements and marvelling at his speed. "Yes…with this Cloth, I'm invincible!" _And I'd better be…I still haven't quenched this fire in my heart…I'm going to need some new targets. It's like Guilty said, there are still people that have wronged me…the Foundation…the Kido family…and my brother!_

_No…we're all brothers, aren't we? _His lip curled in disgust as he thought of the Kido blood flowing through his veins. _I must wipe out the stain that bastard left on the world…his life's work…his granddaughter…and all of us. Even…myself. I'll burn it all to ashes…drag them down with me…and then maybe…_

_The phoenix rises from the ashes…doesn't it?_

"What's this?"

Shun turned at the voice, and immediately had to raise a hand to shield his eyes from the dazzling figure. "Wh-Who are you?"

The man—body covered by gleaming armour, blond hair extending down to his waist—spoke quietly, calmly, but with authority. "I am Shaka," he declared. During the entire conversation and everything that followed, Shun would notice, he never opened his eyes. "I was sent here to eliminate the Black Saints, as they were getting too troublesome…but it seems that you took care of that, and only just now at that. What marvellous timing…do you believe in fate?"

"I used to believe in a lot of things…I've got nothing left now, except my own strength."

"Which would actually be worth believing in, if there were more of it."

Shun bristled. "What did you say? Who the hell do you think you are, talking to me like that…"

Shaka frowned. "I merely speak the truth. All this anger…it feels forced. I do not believe it is the real you."

"Shut up!" Shun yelled, wreaths of fire flaring up around him once more. "I don't need you lecturing me! PHOENIX STORM!"

Shaka merely watched the gusts of burning air rush past him with some amusement. "Your storm is a mere gust of wind to me…" He raised his hands up in front of his chest, forming a strange sign. Then, Shun somehow heard in his mind—

_Ohm_

And then he was lying on his back, still shaking from the aftershocks of Shaka's attack. "Unh…too strong…!" _Even my Cloth didn't help against him…_

"Remember this, Phoenix. There's always someone stronger. You'll never even scratch a Gold Saint with a power like yours."

"A…Gold Saint!" Shun choked. _How could someone like this exist?!_

"Now, you've done my job for me, so I'll take my leave. But first, I'll erase your mem—" Shaka paused. "No. No, I think you'll find your true self under all that hate. It's why I haven't just destroyed you, anyway. This lesson in humility may help you on your way." He began to walk away.

"Don't you turn your back on me, you—" Shun struggled to stand, drawing back a fist.

"Don't," Shaka whispered, and Shun froze. Nodding, Shaka took a few more steps, before dissolving into a haze of light and disappearing, leaving Shun alone with his furious, terrified thoughts, and the bodies of his foes.

* * *

_Greece, Sanctuary…_

"It's time to see your real worth as a Saint, Seiya," Shaina said, indicating the Pegasus Clothbox. "Open it."

"Right." Seiya took a firm grip on the handle protruding from the mouth of the horse-head carving on the box's side, pulling back on it; it came away on a heavy chain, the box falling open with a dull _clank_. Revealed was the Cloth in statue mode, taking the shape of Pegasus.

He approached, placing his hand on its 'chest', which came away easily. "Huh…" _It's a gauntlet! _Realising the Cloth's cunning two-mode design, he began to pull away more pieces, fitting them onto his body until he stood fully-armoured in the complete Pegasus Cloth, finally lowering the headpiece onto his ears. "There's so much…life and energy in this Cloth!"

"Yes, that's right." Shaina nodded. "The Cloth itself is almost alive. It has chosen you as much as you have chosen to strive for it."

Seiya tested a few punches, frowning. "This isn't right…it made me feel stronger for a second, but now it's heavy all of a sudden…I'm slowing down…"

"That's because you're only thinking of yourself—testing your own strength, plus your Cloth's," Shaina explained. "What you must realise is that they are one and the same." She placed a hand on his shoulder. "Concentrate, Seiya. Feel its heartbeat, its energy. Synchronise it with yours."

Seiya took a deep breath, growing still and focusing his mind inwards. "I…I feel it!" he said after a while. "Pegasus' spirit…"

"That's good!" Shaina moved away again, summoning her own Cloth to her—jagged, deep purple, every aspect suggesting danger, even venom; it suited her perfectly. Seiya had once heard that a Cloth changed its shape to accommodate its wearer, and he certainly believed that. "Now," she said, dropping into a fighting stance, "show me the power you and Pegasus can achieve together. And none of your stupid crap about how you can't go all-out against me 'because I'm a woman'."

Seiya averted his eyes. "I…I'm sorry, I just…"

"Seiya. You know I'm a Silver Saint, yes?"

"Yes…"

"So you know I'm stronger than you, yes?"

"I…yes."

"And you know my skills put most male Saints to shame?"

"Yes!"

"So…"

"I…I know all that, Shaina! It's not about logic!" Seiya burst out. "Maybe it's just the way I was brought up back home, but it just feels wrong to try and hit you!"

"I see." Shaina paused for a moment, before reaching up and tapping her mask with one fingernail. "You know what this means?"

"I…I think so?"

"What it _really _means, Seiya," she said slowly, tracing her finger around the intricate patterns drawn under the sculpted eyes, "is that there is no gender among Saints. Our first love must be our loyalty to Athena. You must view me as a Saint first, and a woman second."

Seiya nodded. "I…I understand!" _I think I know the real reason for all this…she knows if I don't get over this, I could be at a disadvantage if this reluctance ever comes up in a real battle. _"Thank you, Shaina! In return…" He held up an armoured fist, sparks of energy crackling around it. "…I'll show you everything I've got!"

Shaina braced herself as Seiya's Cosmos increased rapidly. _Good, good…keep it up…_

Seiya took a single step before leaping at Shaina, swinging for her. "Pegasus Cloth, give me power! _Thunder Claw_!" The two Saints met in a blur of whirring arms, shafts of light blasting out in a wide circle and carving up the boulders and broken-down pillars surrounding them. With the last few attacks Seiya made, his speed increased even further, and a loud crack echoed around the training grounds.

Having deflected all of Seiya's blows, Shaina took him by the shoulders and swung him around behind her, letting him stumble a couple of steps before halting himself and turning back to face her, chest heaving. "How…was that…?" he wheezed.

"Brilliant, Seiya!" she enthused. "I lost count at the end there…but you threw over a hundred punches inside a second—to do that, your speed exceeded Mach 1!"

"Then that sound…was a sonic boom?" Seiya's face lit up. _Of course, _he noted, _she may have lost count, but she still blocked every single one…_

"You've become a fine young warrior over these past few years, Seiya." Some pride was evident in Shaina's voice. "You deserve that Cloth. Of course…I still think you're too soft."

"And I still think you're too cold. But we'll have to work on that some other time."

"Yes, you have to get back to Japan…you've said. Well…fight hard, and don't waste what I've taught you. But, you're always so secretive. Any chance you can finally tell me what's so important you have to go back for it?"

Seiya gave a half-smile. "If I do, will you let me see your face?"

Shaina flinched, her hand going to the side of her head, as if considering this. "No," she said. "No deal."

"Thought so. Well, worth a shot. You'll just have to wonder, then!" He hurriedly removed the Cloth, placing it back into its box and closing it up, hoisting the thing up onto his back. "Thanks for everything, Shaina. You weren't as scary as you first acted."

"And you're not as stupid as you look."

"Well, nearly."

* * *

_Next time, the Galaxian Wars begin, we'll see how Ikki has fared on Andromeda Island, and finally the third of three alterations to the team's fates._

_So yeah, there were, as I said some manga-only elements in this chapter, so just to clarify:_

_-In the manga, the Foundation's orphans are all Mitsumasa Kido's children, and all half-siblings (well, Ikki and Shun are full brothers). In fact he and Saori are generally presented more negatively than in the anime at first, and Saori takes longer to earn the Saints' trust and to prove that she's matured._

_-Also in the manga, during the flashback to Ikki's past and his becoming the Phoenix Saint, he encounters Django, the leader of the Black Saints, who wouldn't appear in the anime until a much later filler episode (though a pretty good filler episode, as they go). Once he's defeated him and the other Black Saints and got the Cloth, Shaka turns up, curb-stomps him and wipes his memory. He then restores Ikki's memory during their fight in the Sanctuary arc, intimidating him (the not-so-good filler in which Ikki fights two of Shaka's disciples was used as a substitute for this, to set up a pre-existing rivalry between the two of them since they cut this scene from the anime for some reason)._

_I did, however, use the anime-only detail that Esmerelda was Guilty's daughter; I just feel that makes for a more effective scene._


	3. Chapter 3: Leash the Kraken

**Chapter 3: Leash the Kraken**

_Three years ago…_

* * *

Hyoga peered through the murky depths before him, limbs carving through the frigid water, carrying him down further. A dark shape started to become visible, near the bottom. _Mama's ship! It's still where it sank…_

He was so ecstatic on finding it, he stopped paying attention to the ocean currents—an unfortunate mistake indeed. A few more minutes of swimming (enduring cold far beyond the limits of a normal human, not to mention the length of time he'd been holding his breath for) brought him down level with the ship, but just then, the motion of the sea, calm up until then, picked up, the water working itself up into a frenzy, dragging Hyoga away from the ship and tossing him around like straw in a hurricane.

He involuntarily coughed, air leaving his mouth and lungs, senses reeling. _Some kind of…undersea storm?! _The pressure, the cold and the lack of air were all combining, chipping away at his endurance, and he could no longer tell up from down, or see his own flailing hands in front of his face. _How deep have I gone…?_

His frenzied thoughts were interrupted by an arm around his chest, and a great tug upwards. He looked over his shoulder to identify his saviour. _Isaac!_

Isaac, the other student of their master Aquarius Camus, was slightly older and easily the more talented of the two. But even he was clearly struggling to escape the raging, freezing torrents, only one arm available to swim with, dragged down by the weight of another, and Hyoga was too drained and weakened to help.

After some unknowable length of time, after what seemed like endless struggling upwards, the frozen surface appeared above them. Isaac redoubled his efforts, reaching desperately for the hole he and Hyoga had entered the ocean through. Mere metres away, an especially heavy current drove into them, sending them spinning away under the ice. Isaac turned his head, slightly too late to see the jagged spike protruding from the underside of the surface; it struck him across the face, causing him to lose his grip on Hyoga and float uncontrollably away, one hand clamped to the left side of his face, blood streaming out from between his fingers.

As the intense currents continued to pull them further apart, Hyoga saw Isaac still calculating the distance between them, how much air and energy he had left. _No, Isaac! You might make it if you go now, but not if you stop and wait for me! Please…I don't care if I die, I don't care _what _happens to me, but you have to live! I shouldn't have been swimming down here before I was fully-trained…you've already been wounded saving me—you can't die for my stupidity!_

_Will you honour that? _A voice, smooth and oily, yet with an odd depth to it, spoke directly into Hyoga's mind.

_W-What?_

_If your friend's survival is guaranteed…will you forfeit your own life in exchange?_

Hyoga didn't hesitate. _Yes! Please, save him!_

_Very well. _At this, there came a great rumbling from beneath Hyoga, the roar of something vast beyond his comprehension, and then an all-enshrouding darkness reached up from the deep, surrounding him and pulling him down with it. _I'm sorry…live, Isaac!_

* * *

Isaac awoke with a start, finding himself back on top of the ice. An instant later, the overwhelming pain kicked in, and he raised a hand, grimacing as he tentatively felt around his ruined eye. A ragged scar surrounded it, running down from his forehead to most of the way down his cheek. He slammed a fist into the ground, cracking it. "Damn you, Hyoga…who gave you the right to die and leave me alone? You…can't be…"

There was a brief flash of light in front of him, followed by a few spontaneous flakes of snow, and then Camus, the Aquarius Saint, stood before Isaac. "Isaac, your eye…" He bent down, a soft glow emanating from his hand; most of the bleeding stopped, and the pain lessened significantly. Camus rested a hand on Isaac's shoulder. "What happened?"

"I…" Isaac gulped. "Hyoga tried to go see his mother again! He got caught in an undersea storm, and—and I tried to save him, and—" He buried his head in Camus' chest. "He's gone! I couldn't…I wasn't strong enough…"

Camus helped Isaac to stand, eyes flicking around. _I don't sense Hyoga's Cosmos anywhere…he must really be… _"Isaac." He took a step back, looking stoically down at his disciple. "You did all that you could—I'm proud of you."

"M-Master Camus—"

"Do not cry, Isaac. Let your tears freeze over, and lock them away inside your heart. We Saints of ice must never let these tragedies affect us; we cannot melt or shatter, no matter what life throws at us. Be strong, Isaac! You are now my one hope…you will bear the Northern Cross of the Cygnus Saint."

* * *

Hyoga spat out a lungful of water, shakily raising himself off the cold stone floor of the dilapidated chamber, which appeared to be an old temple of some kind. Several metallic statues, gold and orange, lined a raised portion of the room, flanking a throne. Rising from this, a tall, robed figure stalked over towards Hyoga.

"Where am I?" he asked, in a very small voice.

"I have done as you asked," the man responded, piercing blue eyes staring down at him. "Your friend Isaac is alive and well, and reunited with your master. Now…you promised me your life. It is time to fulfil that bargain." He gestured over at one of the statues behind him with a sweep of his arm. "There is much work to do, little Kraken."

* * *

_Now…_

"And what a spectacular victory to mark the first battle of the Galaxian Wars! Pegasus has broken Bear's crushing hold and somehow completely destroyed his Cloth with a single kick!" A roar filled the Coliseum, a modernised replica of the famous Greek building easily paid for by the Graude Foundation's wealth.

Dragon Shiryu, watching the bout end, smiled a little at the announcer's words. _I suppose I can't blame them, as it was far faster than normal eyes could follow…but that wasn't one attack at all. In that instant, Seiya threw many hundreds of kicks…Geki couldn't withstand that kind of speed._

Jabu, the Unicorn Saint, saw Shiryu's expression and nodded. "I know what you're thinking. Seiya has an extremely strong Cosmos…"

"Defeating him will be an interesting challenge," Shiryu agreed.

"Good luck with that," Jabu chuckled. "But if you don't, then I will."

Seiya climbed down out of the ring as the unconscious Bear Geki was carried off, trying to return his breathing to normal after the enormously powerful chokehold Geki had used on him.

"Having fun, Seiya?" Wolf Nachi asked, shadow-boxing as he waited for his turn—he was matched up against the Phoenix Saint, who hadn't even arrived yet.

Seiya shrugged. "I'd be lying if I said I wasn't…but if it was up to me, I wouldn't even be fighting in this damn tournament."

"But it's not," Jabu countered. "I guess you finally came to your senses and started taking Miss Saori's orders seriously."

"Like I could give a crap what she tells us to do," Seiya muttered.

"Don't you talk about her that way!" Jabu barked, lunging at Seiya, who sidestepped, tapping a couple fingers to Jabu's back and shoving him on his way, letting him stumble past.

"So yeah, like I was saying," Seiya continued nonchalantly, "I didn't want anything to do with her or the Foundation…but…Seika's gone."

"Your sister?" Nachi paused in his workout.

"Don't ignore me, you—" Jabu began, before giving a pained look and doubling over. "Wh-When did…you hit me…"

Seiya looked back at his erstwhile rival. "When you attacked me, right before I dodged. Y'know, you're pretty slow, Jabu."

Jabu spat, marching off in a trail of unintelligible grumbling.

"So _like I was saying_," Seiya repeated, "right after I left, Seika went looking for me. She dropped off the grid…no-one's seen her since."

"She didn't make it to Sanctuary?" Shiryu asked, looking concerned.

"No…or if she did, I never saw her…" Seiya frowned. "Saori said…if I win this tournament, she'll put the Foundation's resources and money to work tracking Seika down."

"That, _and _the regular prize?" Nachi laughed. "Hey, don't be greedy, okay? If you win, can I have the Gold Cloth?"

"Heh. Just do your best to win on your own," Seiya replied.

"Don't expect me to go easy on you just because of that," Shiryu said, fastening his Cloth's headpiece. "I have my own reasons for wanting to win."

Seiya grinned. "Don't worry about it—I figure the longer I just fight in this tournament, the more I'll be on TV and broadcasted all over the world. If my sister's out there, she'll see me eventually." He paused. "Besides, I'll win no matter how seriously you fight."

"I see you haven't changed."

Seiya turned his head away slightly. "I…wish that was true. Hmm?" The three Saints grew quiet as the announcer declared the next match—Unicorn versus Lionet. Seiya shrugged. "It's just Jabu and Ban."

"I thought you'd want to watch, on the off-chance Jabu gets beaten up," Nachi joked.

Seiya scratched his head. "Ah, it just isn't the same if it's not me doing the beating." He walked a couple of steps away from the ring, nodding over to the silent figure leaning against the wall. "What I wanna know is…has anyone talked to her yet?" No response. "Really, guys?"

"I'm sure the answer will come in time," Shiryu said evenly.

Nachi gave an apologetic look. "I'm nervous around girls…"

"You guys are hopeless…" Seiya sighed. "She's a Bronze Saint like us, but not one of the Foundation's kids—though she knew where to come even before the Galaxian Wars were announced. She spoke to Saori in private, and 'Andromeda' got changed to 'Chameleon' on the tournament board. I gotta know what's going on."

"I'll be over here if you need anything," Shiryu said, walking off.

"Yeah, see ya," Nachi added, spotting the Hydra Saint entering the stadium and waving. "Yo, Ichi!"

Seiya ambled over towards the stranger, trying to make it seem almost accidental that he was approaching her, then giving up when he realised there was no-one else for quite a ways around them, and just walked directly up to her. "Um…hey…so, you're…the Chameleon Saint?"

She turned a steel-eyed gaze on him—then surprised him by sounding equally unsure of herself. "Uh…yes. I'm June…you're…Pegasus Seiya, right?"

"S'me," Seiya confirmed. "Not to be rude, but we were expecting an Andromeda Saint…what happened?"

"The Cloth remains on Andromeda Island," June explained. "Your friend Ikki, he is a formidable man. He won nearly every bout against the other trainees he ever fought, and developed his combat skills faster than any of us."

"But he didn't get the Andromeda Cloth?"

June shook her head. "The final test…only one of each batch of trainees undergoes it—in this case, Ikki. The aspirant is chained and offered to the sea as a sacrifice, like Andromeda herself. Ikki flared his Cosmos magnificently, but to truly embody Andromeda, one must accept their fate as the sacrifice before they can overcome it. Ikki is too free-spirited; he naturally rejects all restraints, and in doing so he could not escape them."

"Then is Ikki…?" Seiya almost didn't dare to ask.

"Don't worry," June said, raising one hand. "He's fine…he's still recovering on Andromeda Island, though. His Cosmos kept the sea at bay for hours, and of course he'd never give up…when he finally passed out, we rescued him. As for myself…there is more than one Cloth on Andromeda Island, and I won one of the others. Ikki is still not yet well enough to fight, in addition to not yet being a full Saint, so he requested I go in his place."

"And you didn't mind coming all the way out to Japan?"

"Ikki is…a good friend. I know he'd do the same for me. I'm not worried about that, or about what I risk fighting in such a tournament. What _does _worry me…is what Sanctuary might think of all of this." She took a step closer to him. "You know, there's a rule against Saints fighting for personal gain."

Seiya shrugged. "I don't think everyone here is. I'm trying to find my missing sister, and I got the sense Shiryu had a good reason for being here too…and dumbass he may be, but Jabu's fighting out of pure loyalty for another." Seiya poked a thumb back over his shoulder just as a loud crash signalled the Lionet Saint, Ban, going down for the count, Jabu standing victorious in the ring. "As are you. There's a lot more going on here than meets the eye."

June nodded. "I believe you. But Sanctuary might not. They're unlikely to see the minute details like that, and they might send someone to punish you…"

"Speak of the devil," Shiryu's voice said from behind, the Dragon Saint suddenly next to them, "and he shall appear." As he finished his sentence, he pointed towards the entrance, where a tall, armoured figure was just arriving.

"You think he's…?" June tensed up.

"It wouldn't surprise me," Shiryu said quietly. "He looks like the Cygnus Saint, but I don't know him. I was under the impression Hyoga made it to Siberia, where the Cygnus Cloth was kept…I have to wonder what happened to him…"

* * *

A Black Phoenix Saint—part of a group of warriors proclaiming themselves to be Shun's 'shadows' who had appeared shortly after he claimed the Phoenix Cloth—touched down on the edge of the skyscraper's roof, kneeling in front of Shun. "My lord, there are now nine Bronze Saints in the Coliseum, but…your brother is not among them."

Shun frowned. "Strange…he's probably still on Andromeda Island. I expected better from him. Well, his time will come later. And the prize? Did you confirm the newspapers' report?"

"Yes, lord Shun…the grand prize is indeed the Sagittarius Gold Cloth."

"Good." Shun turned away, pacing off towards the other edge of the roof, the wind whipping his hair around. _With _that _Cloth…I might truly be the strongest in the world! I might have a way of defeating even people like Shaka…_

"Shall I signal the attack, my lord?" the Black Phoenix asked, raising his head.

"Not yet," Shun said. "Let them wear themselves out fighting each other for a while longer…we'll strike when they're weakened. But well before the final, in case one of them tries to do something stupid with the Gold Cloth…with _my _Cloth."

* * *

"So, you're Hyoga's friends…" Isaac sniffed, surveying the group. "I'm here to end this circus show. Saints fighting for televised entertainment…disgraceful."

"Well, unless you want to take us all on at once, you're going to have to play by our rules," Shiryu replied, stepping forwards.

An announcement came over the speakers installed in the roof—Saori Kido, sponsor of the tournament. "Shiryu is right, Cygnus. If you want to fight, you're just in time for your match with Hydra."

"Feh." Isaac glanced over at Ichi. "I can tell just by looking at him it'd barely be worth my time. His Cosmos is pitiful."

"Hey now…don't go judging by appearances!" Ichi swaggered up to Isaac, flexing his biceps and grinning. "I think you'll find that I'm the deadliest, toughest, and most manly Saint in the building!"

"I hope that isn't true, or it would speak very poorly of the rest of you, on all three counts," Isaac said sharply.

Ichi growled. "All right, you want some?"

"Ichi! The match hasn't started yet!" Saori called.

"Yeah, just wait a minute!" Jabu added.

Ichi continued his advance. "This guy doesn't care about the match…he just wants to take us all out! So let's do it, big guy!"

Isaac closed his good eye. "Come at me as you like."

"Arrogant—!" Ichi darted in, swinging for Isaac's head; the Cygnus Saint blocked casually, sighing.

"Pitifully slow." His eyes widened as a rough metallic noise indicated a set of three long, curved claws extending out of Ichi's wrist, piercing Isaac's gauntlet.

Ichi jumped back. "Heh. How's that? The poison in the Hydra's claws—"

"DIAMOND DUST!" Isaac flexed his hand, and Ichi was launched backwards into the stadium's wall, gales of freezing air swirling around him and freezing his Cloth solid. Isaac lowered his arm, exhaling, and the ice shattered, and the Hydra Cloth with it, Ichi falling limply to the floor, emitting a faint whimper.

"Hm." Isaac pulled the claws' tips out of his gauntlet, letting them clatter to the ground. "Venom that weak? Penetrate my Cloth of ice? Keep dreaming…" He turned to the other five Saints. "Any real fighters want to step up? I'll take any one of you on right now!"

"Want to get your mission from Sanctuary done as soon as possible, eh…" Shiryu began to raise his Cosmos. "Someone needs to teach you some respect! I'll take you on, Cygnus!"

"Shiryu, let me!" Seiya protested.

"You've already proven yourself in battle today, Seiya," Shiryu refuted. "It's my turn, now."

* * *

In the box overlooking the stadium, Tatsumi, Saori's manservant, was storming around the room. "This is most irregular! We cannot allow this match! Dragon is scheduled to fight Pegasus next, and Cygnus will be against the victor of _that _fight!"

"Don't worry, Tatsumi," Saori said, raising a calming hand. "Both combatants are willing, and if the fights are in a slightly different order, the purpose of the Galaxian Wars will still be achieved."

"Miss…" Tatsumi frowned. "I…suppose you're right."

"Besides, I trust Shiryu. We have to…this Cygnus Saint is an enemy to us all." She flicked on the microphone. "Unscheduled match: Dragon Shiryu versus Cygnus Isaac! Begin!"

* * *

"As if I'd let her tell me what to do…" Isaac grumbled. "Prepare yourself, Shiryu!" He charged, throwing an opening punch, which Shiryu brought the shield on the left arm of his Cloth up to deflect, Isaac's fist rebounding painfully.

Shiryu took advantage of this momentary opening, his return strike cracking Isaac's breastplate and sending him skidding back a few metres, sparks spraying out beneath his dragging feet. He straightened up, breathing hard. "…impressive…"

"The Dragon Shield is impervious to your attacks!" Shiryu declared, brandishing the shield. "And the right fist of the Dragon is just as strong!"

"Whoa…" Jabu, watching the fight begin, gave a nervous grin. "An invincible fist and shield…Shiryu might be unbeatable…"

"What are _you _worked up about?" Seiya asked. "I'm the one who has to fight him next!"

"Well, Cygnus?" Shiryu shifted to a more offensive stance. "Now you know what you're up against. What will you do?"

Isaac drew back one arm with a smile, the other Saints beginning to shiver as the temperature around him dropped rapidly; soon it spread to the audience, too. "DIAMOND—_DUST!_" He yelled, bringing his arm forwards and launching the frigid blast directly at Shiryu, who ducked his head, raising his shield and thrusting it forwards into the attack, letting the Diamond Dust wash over it and pass harmlessly by him.

"You don't seem to understand. This shield cannot be broken by…eh?!" Shiryu gave a shocked look as a layer of ice engulfed his shield-arm, rendering it immobile.

"And who said I was aiming to break it?" Isaac gloated. "Let's see how you are without your shield!" He leapt at Shiryu, beginning a vicious series of attacks, hammering the Dragon Saint back and forth.

_So fast…! _Shiryu fell back, letting out pained cries as the blows rained down. Finally, he saw one in time, his right arm snapping up and catching Isaac by the wrist. Shiryu pulled backwards, heaving Isaac over his head and flipping the Cygnus Saint over to behind him.

Isaac frowned. _He's not even considering backing down…why is he determined to fight so hard? _"Why, Shiryu? Battles for personal gain are forbidden! I see an honourable Saint in you…but you involve yourself in this foolishness?"

"This is no personal battle, Isaac." Shiryu's Cosmos flared up, his lengthy hair blowing around in a frenzy amidst the green glow. "I'm fighting for the honour of my master! He is old, and his time will come soon…but before then, I'll return to him in victory!"

"I…see…" Isaac saw sincerity in Shiryu's eyes. "I misjudged you, Shiryu. I suppose you wouldn't be satisfied if I stopped fighting just because of that…or, indeed, with anything less than my best…"

"Right, we can't back down now—we'd eventually have to fight in the tournament anyway!" Shiryu lunged, bringing his free arm around. "You've shown me your trump card—here's mine! ROZAN SHORYUHA!"

Isaac leapt backwards in surprise—too late—as the spectral image of a dragon burst forth from Shiryu's fist, racing out and slamming into Isaac, hurling him away through the air. Shiryu landed in a crouch, arm still extended, holding his position until Isaac hit the ground on the other side of the stadium.

_What an attack! _Isaac stood, panting, bruised all over, Cloth thoroughly cracked. "Hey, Shiryu…my Cloth's getting damaged…yours has lost its most important element, its shield…why don't we make this a true test of our own Cosmos?"

"I see what you mean." Shiryu nodded, flexing his whole body and sending a pulse of energy through his Cloth, the pieces flying from his body and clattering to the ground around him. When his left gauntlet and shield came off, most of the ice came too, and he clenched his freed fist, turning his attention back to Isaac, who had now removed his Cloth as well.

The two ran at each other, meeting by the side of the ring and clashing violently, throwing rapid, destructive punches and kicks with no thought for defence or strategy; a pure contest of endurance.

"This could be dangerous for both of them," Jabu noted. "A human body isn't really designed to take that kind of force for too long, and even your Cosmos can only protect you so far…it's why we wear Cloths in the first place…"

"So, one of them will drop soon," June concluded.

"Right."

Indeed, it didn't last long; after around a minute of gruelling, rhythmic thuds as fist and foot met body over and over, the fighters lunged past each other, swinging back around into a cross-counter, each landing a solid hit to the other's face. Both fell to their knees, gasping.

"I won't lose…!" Isaac managed to say, pushing himself up and readying himself to strike. "You've earned a rare distinction—I'll end this battle with Cygnus' greatest attack!"

"Then I'll do…likewise…" Shiryu replied, forcing himself to rise, swaying, to his feet opposite Isaac, both summoning what last reserves of Cosmos they had left. "Master…I'll show you…I won't waste what you've taught me…"

"The Diamond Dust is passive, but this is active, Shiryu! _Aurora_—"

Shiryu mirrored Isaac's movements; both took quick steps in towards each other, ducking, each bringing their right arm up to bear and quickly rising into an uppercut. "_Rozan_—"

"Wh-What's that?!" Jabu gaped, looking past the streams of clashing energy to the fighters barrelling towards each other.

"—_Thunder_—" Came Isaac's deepening voice.

"A dragon…" Seiya murmured. The tattooed image of a dragon had faded into view, emblazoned on Shiryu's back, seeming to writhe and snarl with a will of its own. The charging Saints' fists met as they fully released their attacks.

"—SHORYUHA!"

"—ATTACK!"

When the combined burst of light had died down, Isaac stood with one trembling arm still outstretched, Shiryu completely encased in a layer of ice. Then, Isaac wavered, and the ice cracked, groaned and burst, Shiryu landing on his feet as Isaac fell forwards onto his shoulder. "Are all of them…like you, Shiryu?" he croaked.

"Yes," Shiryu said without hesitation.

"Then…I am deeply sorry…for my actions. You are all…true Saints." He slid downwards and fell away, hitting the floor hard, a medical team immediately rushing out to take him away. Shiryu remained upright until the overhead digital display confirmed his victory, then, with a contented smile, fell onto his back and immediately drifted off to sleep.

* * *

_Funny how whenever Shiryu loses his Cloth, his shirt is gone, but when anybody else does it they keep their shirt. Maybe he wants everybody to see his badass magical dragon tattoo. Or maybe he's just an exhibitionist._


	4. Chapter 4: Blood of the Dragon

**Chapter 4: Blood of the Dragon**

* * *

Seiya, lying in a hotel room provided by the Foundation, turned over in his sleep, hands twitching, scratching idly at the scars from that terrible climb six years ago. His eyes screwed shut tighter, and he grit his teeth, beginning to shake all over. "…'m…sorry, Cassios…you…made me do it…" he mumbled, curling up under the blanket and shivering.

* * *

_Three hours later…_

"How you feeling, Shiryu?"

Shiryu climbed out of bed, nodding to Seiya, who stood in the doorway. "Much better, after that rest. Thanks for coming to visit."

"Sure, yeah. That was an awesome match, by the way. They decided to leave it there for the day and begin the second round today instead." He tossed away the magazine he'd been trying to be interested in. "One of the reasons I came and woke you up—want to go watch?"

"Sure, I'm just about recovered. Who's fighting?"

"June and Jabu. It would've been you and me, but they changed the order on account of your injuries."

Shiryu picked up his Clothbox from beside the bed and slung it onto his back. "We can go second—I'm feeling fine. How's Isaac?"

Seiya led the way down the corridor and out of the hotel, the Coliseum—right across the street from them—dominating the landscape. "He's a little worse off than you, but he'll be up soon enough."

The traffic around the building was intensely packed—the Galaxian Wars numbered among the biggest commercial successes in Japan's history. Finding no opening to get through, Seiya eventually gave up on conventional means, took a couple of steps back, and with a short run-up vaulted clean over several lanes of traffic, landing among a startled crowd on the other side of the road. Rolling his eyes, Shiryu followed suit. "You know, if a driver had looked up just then, you could've caused an accident."

Seiya shrugged. "But they didn't."

* * *

"…and my eye never fully healed, either." Isaac had just finished telling the other five Saints his and Hyoga's story.

"Poor Hyoga…" Shiryu sighed. "I would have liked to see him again."

"I'm sorry for your loss," Isaac said quietly. "I wish I'd been able to save him…"

"Do you ever blame him?" Seiya asked. "I mean, you were hurt too."

"Sometimes…occasionally, when I'm in a bad mood," Isaac admitted. "But not most of the time. I understand his motives…I just wish he'd waited a little longer to try and visit his mother. As a full Saint, he could've made the swim in a minute or so with no problem…"

Seiya nodded. "I guess you can be too single-minded."

"Chameleon! Unicorn! To the ring!" the announcer called over the loudspeaker.

"That's our cue," June said, Jabu following suit as she headed off down the tunnel towards the ring.

"Man, this sucks…" Nachi muttered. "Second round's started and I haven't even had my first fight yet. Phoenix could do us all a favour and show up soon…"

* * *

_Bear, Lionet and Hydra are down… _Shun strolled along the docks, keeping his hood up and making an effort not to stand out from the crowd. _Cygnus and Dragon are still recovering…Pegasus, Chameleon, Unicorn and Wolf are the biggest threats at the moment. I'll see how today plays out, at least, then decide whether to make my move._

* * *

June unslung the whip attached to the belt of her Cloth. _I'll win this for you, Ikki!_

Jabu adjusted his headpiece. _Watch me, Miss Saori!_

"Begin!"

Jabu attacked first, lunging straight for June, who leapt off to the side, twisting in the air and bringing her leg around towards his head. He caught her ankle and pushed it away, sending her into an uncontrolled spin. He jumped after her, and they each threw a mid-air punch, catching the other's attack with their free hand and tumbling to the ground together. He threw her off, springing back up and keeping his guard up as she circled warily around him.

"Heh." He gave a slight smile. "You call that a kick?" His leg twitched, then blurred out of sight, and with a thunderous crash scores of impacts hit June head-on, throwing her back against the edge of the ring, panting.

"You know, I think I underestimated Jabu," Seiya said upon seeing this.

Shiryu nodded. "Right…his Mach-speed kicks might be as deadly as your punch, Seiya."

"Hey now, I wouldn't go _that _far…"

Jabu attacked again, one visible jump kick concealing dozens more, and June flung herself out of his path, succeeding partially; a few glancing hits spun her around, sending her staggering away. One came within an inch of her face, the rush of high-velocity air in its wake causing her mask to slip out from under her headband, sliding off across the ring. Nobody really knew the significance this should have had except for Shiryu, who found it interesting that June didn't particularly seem to care.

"I think I've seen enough of that attack," she said, an air of confidence creeping into her voice. "If you want my advice, don't use it again."

Jabu smirked. "The attack that's got you on the run, you mean? Yeah, sure." He sprung into motion, swinging another series of kicks. "Hah!"

June finally unfurled her whip, a series of midair detonations blossoming in the air between them as the weapon met each thrust of Jabu's foot, parrying it and knocking it back each time. The pair skidded to a halt, June now behind him.

"I've been observing your movements closely," she informed him. "Analysed your attack patterns. You rely so much on that kick you've let me learn exactly how to defend against it—that kind of adaptive skill is why some say it's useless to use the same technique twice on a Saint."

"Well, I don't know how to do anything like that," he growled. "You saying I'm not a true Saint?"

"I didn't say it was true. Just that some say it." She smiled sweetly. "But I think you have bigger worries than semantics."

"Like…?"

"This." June tugged back on the handle of her whip, and Jabu found his left leg pulled out from under him, unbalancing him and dragging him over towards her. _She snared my leg with it…when?!_

Isaac shook his head. "During your last attack, fool…now she's seen through it, she had plenty of time to do that."

June gave another pull, and Jabu fell forwards, June stepping in and landing a direct punch to his stomach, drawing a pained yell. As he stumbled around trying to recover, she gave another swing, wrapping her whip around his neck this time, before hauling him straight over her head with a great two-handed heave, landing him on his back in front of her, a strangled groan escaping from his mouth as his twitching fingers pulled at the cord at his throat.

She prepared to tighten it until he passed out, but in that instant his eyes snapped open wide and his hands gripped the lash with new strength. "Not yet…" he hissed, rolling up onto his knees and freeing himself, reeling June in with her own weapon.

_He didn't think this through…he wants to make this a close-range fight, but he can't strike fast enough from that position… _June let the momentum carry her towards him, bringing her right knee up, smashing it into his chin and sending him sprawling, hanging limply against the ropes lining the ring.

"Give up," she said, standing back. "I don't want to hurt you more than I have to."

"Who…Who do you take me for…" he mumbled, leaning heavily on the ropes for support as he pushed himself to his feet.

"This is the second time I was sure I'd beaten you," June said, curious. "You keep getting up…why?"

"Same reason…I won this Cloth…and came back here after six years…"

"Which would be?"

Jabu declined to answer, forcing himself forwards. "If you've seen through one attack, I'll use another!" He lunged with an uppercut, which she dodged with little effort.

"Idiot…" she muttered. "Your kick's your specialty because it's your most effective attack. Lesser attacks are useless against me." She swung the heavy handle of her whip into his neck, staggering him away again. "You've got no reason to keep fighting. Surrender."

He rubbed the new injury, shaking his head. "Not…gonna happen!"

"Why, Jabu? You fought well, but I've bested you! Why can't you let it go?"

Jabu sighed, finally admitting, "For Miss Saori. She's…my goddess…"

* * *

Tatsumi gave a concerned look. "I hope the audience didn't hear that…how embarrassing…"

"Jabu…" Saori put a hand up to the glass overlooking the stadium. "When I think about how I used to mistreat those boys, when I was a child…as if they were my grandfather's property…I hope they can see I've changed." She lowered her head. "And Jabu's still so devoted to me…I have to make it up to him somehow."

* * *

Jabu advanced again, and June ducked low, bringing an elbow around into his side, then shoving away, toppling him once more. "Please," she said, "stay down this time."

"You don't…get it yet…" Jabu was rising, painfully slowly, struggling for every inch, but eventually making it, facing her again. "It doesn't matter what you do…if you knock me down, I'll stand back up." He pounded a fist into his chest. "If my attacks do nothing, I'll try harder next time. If you break every bone in my body, as long as the Cosmos still burns in my heart, I'll find a way to keep fighting!"

June gave him a long, hard stare, grip tightening on her weapon, thinking. "I see." Jabu screwed his eyes shut as she raised it…and clipped it to her belt, bowing. "I surrender," she said. "You win."

An enormous, dumb smile slowly spread across Jabu's face. "Th…Thank you!" He gratefully accepted her help as she pulled his arm over her shoulder, supporting him as he shakily exited the ring, the overhead screen displaying his victory. "But didn't you also have someone's honour riding on this?"

"I think Ikki, and everyone, would understand," she replied. "You needed to win more than I did."

June abruptly stopped walking, and Jabu looked up—Seiya stood in their path. Jabu sighed. "What do you want? To kick me while I'm—"

Seiya extended his hand, smiling.

Wondering, Jabu shook it, nodding. Giving a small salute, Seiya walked off, leaving June to walk Jabu over to the wall and lean him against it. "Are you gonna be okay?"

"Sure, sure." He lifted his head, gazing up at the starscape projected onto the ceiling, identifying his guardian constellation and silently thanking it. "See that, Saori? I'm gonna win this thing for you…"

"I believe you," Saori's voice said from behind him. The Saints all turned with some surprise to see their host and organiser standing in the corridor they'd entered through earlier, looking downcast. "I'm grateful you still think so highly of me."

"Grateful, huh?" Seiya chuckled. "One of us has to be, and it's not gonna be me…"

"Easy, Seiya," Shiryu cautioned.

"No, I understand." Saori approached them, clasping her hands together. "I want to apologise. I was a spoiled child, and I treated you all terribly. And not just me—you've all suffered greatly because of my family and the Foundation."

"Huh…" Seiya found himself caught off-guard, not sure how to feel. On the one hand, she was clearly sincere, and this was a great change from how she'd acted six years ago. On the other hand, she was right. They _had _all suffered, and one apology wasn't going to wipe that away. "Not everyone came back," he muttered. "Hyoga…"

"I know," she said. "And…I'm so sorry it had to happen. But it did, you see. There _is _a reason for all of this, beyond entertainment. Someday soon, I'll explain to you all my purpose, and my grandfather's. For now, I acknowledge my past mistakes, and I want to make a clean start with you all now we've been reunited after so long." She looked each of them in the eye, even June and Isaac. "Will you trust me?"

* * *

"Second round, match 2: Pegasus Seiya versus Dragon Shiryu! Begin!"

Nachi nudged Isaac. "Who d'you think will win?"

"Hard to say…" Isaac shrugged. "They both have quite formidable Cosmos. I suppose the unique properties of Shiryu's Cloth could give him the advantage…we'll see, I guess."

"I hope you'll do your master justice, Shiryu," Seiya said, fastening on his Cloth's gauntlets.

Shiryu nodded. "And I hope you find your sister, Seiya. I've enjoyed the past day, you know…it's nice to know that even after so long, I've still got so many friends here."

"Right! Now here I come, Shiryu…" Seiya drew his hand back, sparks of energy running down his arm. "_Pegasus Thunder Claw!_"

Shiryu grunted, quickly raising his shield to ward off the multitude of supersonic strikes headed his way. "Hah! You should know from seeing me fight Isaac…you haven't a hope of penetrating this shield. And I don't think you can neutralise it like he can, either."

"We'll see…" Seiya muttered, standing back.

"You're not wrong there!" Shiryu attacked, and Seiya instinctively brought his arm up to block. _Wait! _He remembered at the last second. _His right gauntlet is as strong as his shield! _He heaved his body backwards, Shiryu still scoring a glancing hit and shearing through a section of his arm-guard. Seiya's leg snapped up, flexing into a rising knee strike towards Shiryu's chin, but the Dragon Shield came down hard on the joint, deflecting the strike and cracking the Pegasus Cloth.

"Oww…" Seiya fell back, limping a little as he tried to ease some feeling back into his leg.

"Hurting already, Seiya?" Shiryu pressed the attack, but Seiya danced back, remaining out of reach and staying on the defensive. They continued like this for a while, going back and forth with no sign of letting up; all of Shiryu's attacks were dodged, and all of Seiya's were blocked with similar ease.

Seiya was clearly not tiring as quickly as his opponent. "Sorry, Shiryu, but I _am _faster than you. Your strength, and your Cloth's, won't help you if you can't catch me…"

Shiryu frowned. "We'll see if you take _this _so lightly…" He launched another blow, but this one was different, his Cosmos flaring up to its maximum for a brief moment. "_Rozan Shoryuha!_"

Seiya's eyes narrowed. _There it is! _Even as he took this in, the attack threw him back, flipping him completely over backwards before landing him on his hands and knees. "Guh…!"

"How's that, Seiya?" Shiryu stepped back, lowering his steaming right fist.

"Yeah…that was it." Seiya raised his head—and grinned. "I saw it…your weak point, Shiryu."

"Wh…What?" Shiryu backed away further, stunned.

Seiya rose, explaining. "I first noticed it when you fought Isaac. When you throw your Shoryuha, there's a momentary opening—I think it's unconscious, but right before you attack, your hand lowers by a couple of inches, leaving your heart open to attack."

"So this whole fight, you knew you'd be at a disadvantage," Shiryu realised. "But you were just goading me to use it on you…so you could confirm this?!"

"Yeah, that's about it."

_Incredible…my master told me about this vulnerability, but the opening only lasts a hundredth of a second! I never thought anyone else would find it…much less after only seeing my Shoryuha a couple of times…_

* * *

_"Shiryu…the Rozan Shoryuha—the Rising Dragon Blow—is a mighty weapon indeed. But have caution! Should a foe ever discover its weakness…you will have met your match."_

* * *

_Could it be…that that man stands before me now…?_

"Shiryu." Seiya's voice grew oddly flat. "You're my friend, so listen very closely. You can't catch me with your normal attacks…only your Shoryuha can hit me. But you can't use it now…since I'm the faster of us, while you're concentrating on preparing your attack, you won't be able to raise your shield in time. If you use that attack, I'll kill you."

"Wh…what?"

"I don't want to." Seiya sighed. "But you're incredibly strong—I only have one attack capable of defeating you."

Shiryu nodded. "Your Thunder Claw…"

"Right. But it's not the kind of move that's suited to a tournament, see. It's an assassination technique…a killing move." His voice became even lower for a second. "That's…the kind of person my teacher is."

Shiryu closed his eyes. "So, if I wish to attack…I have no choice but to use my Shoryuha…and then you'll have no choice but to counter with your Thunder Claw…and kill me."

"Exactly!" Seiya exclaimed. "Neither of us wants that! So please, Shiryu…admit defeat. It'll be the same result, but you'll get to live on!"

Shiryu was silent for a long time. The seconds stretched on out, the glaring lights overhead beating down on them, the mumbling of the crowd growing in intensity. "I'm…sorry, Seiya," Shiryu said, finally. He raised his right arm, fingers slowly curling into a fist. "I can't back down."

"What? Listen to yourself! This is your life, Shiryu!"

"I'm afraid that's not the way my master taught me," Shiryu replied grimly. "Never back down…never give an inch…never give anything less than all I've got!"

"Please, Shiryu! Don't make me do it!" Seiya yelled, raising his own right hand, fingers extended, sliding his left arm back for balance.

* * *

"Excuse me…"

The dark-haired girl looked up, seeing Isaac leaning over the stadium wall with a panicked expression. "What is it?" she asked hurriedly.

"You're here with Shiryu, aren't you?"

"Y-Yes…" She nodded. "I live at Mt. Goroho, where he trained…I'm Shunrei—"

"Please come quickly!" Isaac practically dragged her down into the stadium. "You can't hear them from here, but Shiryu's going to his death! You have to talk him down!"

"He's what?!"

* * *

Shiryu dug his feet into the floor, Cosmos surging up again, a faint dragon's roar echoing around the ring. "Prepare yourself, Seiya."

"Shiryu, this is ridiculous! We're friends! You can't—"

"Didn't we say we're all fighting for something?" Shiryu shouted. "You can't not strike—you have to win this tournament and find your sister! And I can't step down—not with my master's honour at stake! I'll stake my life on what he's taught me!"

"Look, the attack he taught you is awesome, okay?" Seiya countered, desperate. "I'm sure I just got lucky noticing its flaw! You don't have to rush to die to prove how great it is!"

"That's not it." Shiryu sounded sad, dropping into a half-crouch and preparing to spring. "The most important thing he taught me was not this Shoryuha of mine…but the conviction I'm about to show you." His brow furrowed. "You'll need that conviction in your journeys, Seiya…carry it always in your heart!"

"Please, Shiryu!" Seiya cried, tears forming as the Dragon Saint began his implacable advance.

"Shiryu, don't!" a second voice cried. Shiryu froze for a moment, spotting Shunrei—but then, his head turned away, focusing on Seiya once more.

"I'm sorry, Shunrei." He brought his right arm up, pouncing at Seiya. "Rise, my dragon! To the heavens! ROZAN SHORYUHA!"

_All I have to do… _Seiya gritted his teeth, trying to ignore the immediately-visible opening in Shiryu's defences. _Is not strike back! I can't avoid an attack of this magnitude…but I might be able to withstand it one more time. It _might_ kill me…but that's better than _definitely _killing Shiryu! Right!_

_And yet…why can't I stop my hands from moving?! _He found his right hand forming into the dagger-like attack position, his left tracing the thirteen stars in Pegasus behind him. _No…this isn't what I want! _But the battle-instincts drilled into him over six years were too strong. Faced with such overwhelming force, the urge to strike pre-emptively overwhelmed him, and before he could stop himself, he was leaping up to intercept Shiryu, bolts of energy racing down his arm as his Thunder Claw raced for the Dragon's heart.

Shiryu closed his eyes.

* * *

"Farewell, my friends!"

"Forgive me, Shiryu!"

* * *

Pegasus and Dragon had come to a halt at the centre of the ring, their Cosmos dying down. Seiya looked up with trembling eyes, each sight more horrific than the last. Shiryu's arms hanging limply at his sides. Seiya's arm, buried up to the wrist in Shiryu's chest, skewering the noble Saint's heart completely and sending a river of his blood down his chest. Shiryu's head slumping forwards, a final sigh of breath escaping his body.

Seiya scrambled back, pulling his red-soaked hand free and crouching in the corner, clutching his head in his hands. _Why couldn't I just take the hit? I'm such a coward! And, because I couldn't put someone else before myself…Shiryu…my best friend is…_

_It's happened again! Cassios…Shiryu…I never wanted to kill anyone!_

The stadium was dead silent, but for the slowly-loudening sobs emanating from Shunrei and Seiya.

* * *

Shun observed all this from afar. _The spirit they fight with…what drives you so, Jabu…and you, Shiryu? And, even though they've only recently met, the compassion for their comrades…June, you'd put your needs aside for another…Seiya, you dearly wish you could, and now you weep for the life you took…_

_They…They are true Saints of Athena, and I…and I am…!_

He sniffed, feeling something wet running down his face. "Odd," he wondered aloud. "I thought my Cloth's headpiece would at least keep the rain off…"

The Black Phoenix next to him gave a nervous cough. "It…isn't raining…my lord."

Shun froze. After a moment, his head inclined slightly, gazing down at the Coliseum. "Attack now," he said, his eyes dead, his voice cold. "Kill them all."

* * *

_Don't get me wrong, I love Shiryu's character. But having thought of this as a plot development, I couldn't not do it. Plus, I think it helps establish something that you will notice about this story: Anyone can die._


	5. Chapter 5: Broken Mirror

**Chapter 5: Broken Mirror**

_It finally updates!_

* * *

"Maybe…they were right…" Saori looked away from the stadium, standing. "I never meant for this to happen."

"Miss…" Tatsumi stopped, frowning. "Who is that?!"

Saori glanced back around. "What?"

* * *

The Saints had formed a defensive circle around the ring, the four new arrivals closing in around them.

"They look like Phoenix Saints…" Isaac observed, "…but their Cloths are darker than Phoenix's should be…"

"They're Black Saints," June told them. "They are those who were judged too impure to become Saints. Their name comes from the Black Cloths they wear—for that power, they've sold their souls to the devils of Death Queen Island."

"And what are they doing _here_?" Jabu asked.

Another figure touched down, this one on the edge of the stadium, carrying something large over one arm. "Providing a diversion, mostly…but if they kill you, I'm okay with that."

"Who—?!" Nachi craned to look at the newest arrival. "H-Hey, he's got the Gold Clothbox!"

"Looks like the real Phoenix Saint…" Jabu noted.

June frowned. "Then it must be Ikki's brother…he talked about him a lot…"

Seiya had been sitting, almost comatose, in the ring, while all this had gone on, the moment of Shiryu's death replaying over and over in his mind, but at this, his head finally perked up.

_Ikki's_

_brother_

Just as the Black Phoenix Saints begun their attack, Seiya leapt over the ringside, over the heads of Isaac and his opponent, sprinting madly after Shun's fleeing form.

"We have to—unh!" Jabu attempted to give chase, but the Black Saint in front of him matched his movements, halting his passage.

"I won't let you anywhere near Lord Shun!" the shadow declared.

"Yeah, whatever…" Jabu grumbled. "Come on!"

* * *

Seiya just barely made the jump up to the overpass, hanging on to the truck Shun had landed on by the tips of his fingers, slowly hauling himself up and rolling over onto the metal roof.

Shun sat perched on the Sagittarius Clothbox, drumming his feet against it and waiting for Seiya to catch his breath. "Hey, Seiya. Been a while."

"What…you…Phoenix…" Seiya sat up, wild-eyed. "those guys…and…Gold Cloth…what?"

Shun rolled his eyes. "Take a minute, all right? You're a mess."

"I…yes!" Seiya stared wordlessly up at Shun for a moment, slowly raising his trembling, blood-drenched right hand. "…_Shiryu_!"

"Yes, I know _why _you're a mess." Shun flashed a grin. "I saw that, by the way. It was beautiful. You were trying so hard to be noble, but your selfish nature won out."

"No, I…didn't want to—Shiryu, he…"

"Oh, but you know you enjoyed it. Because there is no more complete, more final victory than that. Only in death can a battle truly end. You've been raised a killer, Seiya. Let it happen."

"I…" Seiya took in a deep breath. "No. This…" He indicated his bloodied hand. "This is not me." He jumped to his feet. "And it's not you, either!"

"Weak!" Shun spat. "Just like the others…like I was. I thought you might be different…you might understand now…" He sprung at Seiya, knocking him over and crouching over him. "I guess not."

"What happened, Shun? You were the kindest person I've ever known…" Seiya swung a punch upwards, but Shun caught it one-handed, casually forcing Seiya's arm back down.

"Death Queen Island…broke me." For a moment, his expression changed completely, becoming one of abject terror. "_Help me, Seiya_." Then it snapped back to hate, and he raised his free hand to strike. "It's over…eh?" He glanced suspiciously around as the temperature began to drop, frost forming on the metal composing the truck and their Cloths. Tiny, gleaming flakes of ice filled the air, a thousand miniature diamonds. _This isn't natural…_

Shun leapt back just in time to avoid the freezing blast that passed just in front of his face. He re-entered his fighting stance as Isaac touched down on the vehicle's roof, between him and Seiya. "In Siberia, the cold can kill a man in minutes. But as deadly as it is, the snowfall there is renowned for its beauty…it reflects the pure, unpolluted sunlight, each flake capturing and refining the sun's essence. We have this name for it…" His hand snapped open, a far stronger shower of ice burst forth. "DIAMOND DUST!" he bellowed.

"Gyaaah!" Shun fell back, arms crossed in front of his face. "Not bad…Cygnus…!"

"Not just Cygnus." Hearing this, Shun turned to see June, Jabu and Nachi surrounding the Clothbox.

Shun did a double-take. "Defeated my shadows…so quickly…?" Nachi gave a slight frown at this—while Isaac had defeated his opponent almost instantly, and June and Jabu had beaten theirs not long after, Nachi had still been deadlocked with his and the others had had to help him out before they could all leave together.

Shun gave the situation a moment's thought, before hurling himself off the truck and vanishing amidst the stream of traffic below.

"Well, uh…" Jabu blinked. "That was…easier than I thought. Hey, so…we got the Gold Cloth back! That's…good? Yeah?"

"It would be if it were true…" June gave the box a kick, toppling it over easily. "It's empty."

"I did lose sight of him for a bit," Seiya mumbled. "He must've taken it out then…"

"Damn…" Nachi growled. "So now what do we—"

"_Jump_!" Isaac yelled, right as something dark streaked into the truck at high velocity, tearing effortlessly through it and detonating the engine, the five Saints landing a few dozen metres away as the burning wreckage careened around.

"We have to help those people!" Jabu urged, pointing to the growing pileup around them, which gradually formed a wall of half-shredded cars in front of them, just behind the initial wreck.

"We can't…" Isaac said grimly. "If we make a move to get over there, they'll jump us."

"They?"

Four flickering humanoid shapes became slowly visible through the flames, metal-clad feet stamping in time, emerging onto the road and standing in disciplined file. At some unseen command, they all began to rush forwards, making straight for the Foundation's Saints.

"Heh…more Black Phoenixes?" Jabu saw their Cloths, grinning. "We can take these guys easy, and get after Shun."

"Everybody get ready…" June cautioned. "Hey, you too, Seiya!" Seiya was still staring blankly off in the direction Shun had left in.

"Forget it, he's hopeless…" Isaac muttered, bracing himself to receive the shadows' charge. However, at the last moment, something odd happened; the Black Phoenixes sped up, ducking under or leaping over their opponents' defences and hitting home with far more force than expected, driving them back. The situation quickly dissolved into a disorganised melee, the Black Saints eventually breaking away and forming up again.

"These guys…" Jabu panted. "…aren't like the others…"

"The others were hard enough…" Nachi groaned, nursing his left arm, which now hung limply at his side.

"Speak for yourself," Isaac muttered, though even he hadn't escaped injury. _They masqueraded as shadows to make us overconfident…Shun planned this whole attack…we've been outplayed. _"Who are you?" he demanded of their new enemies.

"I guess you've never heard of Death Queen Island's Black Four…" One of them stepped forwards, raising one arm and sweeping it downwards; in a swirl of strangely-warped light, somewhat like colour being ripped out of the world, their Cloths and even their physical appearance changed drastically—now the four were dark reflections of a Pegasus, Dragon, Cygnus and Andromeda Saint respectively. "The strongest among the Black Saints!" the newly-revealed Black Dragon continued.

"What kind of disguise was that?" Jabu wondered, eyeing the Black Four with caution.

"I've heard the strongest Saints can cast a glamour to deceive their enemies…" Isaac said grimly. "I didn't think Shun would be so skilled…"

"Heh. You're lucky!" Black Pegasus called out to them. "Those illusions were child's play compared to Lord Shun's Genma—"

"Silence!" Black Dragon snapped, glaring back at his impulsive compatriot.

Black Cygnus gave Black Pegasus a dig in the ribs. "Learn to hold your tongue, will you?"

"We have created enough of a scene here," Black Dragon continued. "The situation has changed since Lord Shun gave us orders. We should regroup before engaging in a protracted battle."

"Hold it!" June took a step forwards, her face stern. "We won't let you just attack us, and endanger all these innocents, and just leave when you like."

"I suppose you're right…" He sighed, not moving for a couple seconds, then suddenly sprung into motion, pointing his index finger in their direction and firing an explosive burst of Cosmo.

Seeing the highly-focused nature of the lethal attack, Isaac dived forwards, swinging his fist with a roar of "DIAMOND DUST!" A great sheet of ice sprung up in front of him, shielding the group of Saints from Black Dragon's blast. When he dissipated it with a flick of his arm in the opposite direction, the Black Four had vanished. "Damn!"

"Wait…" Nachi sniffed the air. "They're not gone. They're leaving, but it kinda feels like they're gearing up for—"

"Parting shot!" June realised, crouching to leap away. "Everyone, _move_!"

From high overhead came three simultaneous cries, only just audible at this distance.

"Black Blizzard!"

"Black Fang Nebula!"

"Black Ryu Sei Ken!"

Their targets didn't have time to appreciate, or snicker at, the theme naming; Isaac found himself hard-pressed to dodge in time, but just about managed to escape the edges of the colossal blast as it punched a hole straight through the overpass, leaving a crater in the ground, far below. _I'm fine…June should be, too…but Seiya's still out of it, and the other two aren't fast enough to—_

A figure skidded to a halt in front of him, sparks flying from their metal boots—Seiya, carrying Jabu and Nachi under one arm each, setting them down a moment later. "Hey…Isaac."

"Yeah?"

"I did a terrible thing."

Isaac paused, trying to think of a nicer way of saying it, and failing. "Yeah…yeah, you kind of did."

"What…do I do?"

June put a hand on Seiya's shoulder. "Don't pretend it didn't happen, but…acknowledge why you did it. Learn from it."

Isaac nodded. "I think…what's going through your mind now is…'if I'd been stronger, I could've saved him'. Right?"

Seiya looked up. "You…"

"I've been there. So…get stronger. All we can do is to do better next time."

"Then you guys…"

Jabu stood, approaching them. "For what it's worth, Seiya…whatever anyone else says…" He held out his hand, mimicking Seiya's earlier gesture. "I forgive you."

Seiya took it gratefully, giving a tearful smile.

* * *

"No, you made a smart decision," Shun said, pacing up and down in front of the kneeling Black Four. "They're stronger than we anticipated. We'll have to take a more cautious approach. Soften them up a little before we initiate the final battle. Now, leave me…" He placed his hand on the stolen Gold Cloth, now in statue form, running his fingers over the faintly-glowing metal. "…I must be alone with my prize."

"My Lord…if I may…" Black Andromeda spoke up. "If you have the Gold Cloth now, what need is there for us to—"

"One does not send a lion to kill ants," Shun replied, cutting him off. "There are far greater forces in this world than you know. _Those _are the battles I prepare for…I don't care that my brothers don't die by my hand; only that they do die. Only that our father's bloody stain is wiped from the world."

* * *

"Miss Saori?"

The heiress halted her passage towards the stadium. "Oh…Isaac. I was actually on my way to call you all together…there is much you don't know, and—"

Isaac shook his head. "I guessed it was something along those lines. Don't let events rush you. You said you'd tell us in time…whatever secrets you're holding on to, do they concern Shun and the Black Saints?"

"No." She turned away from the door. "I suppose it would be better not to distract you all during this battle…"

"Right. How are Geki and Ban?"

"Still recovering," she replied. "It could take a week or two. Isaac…you seem the most level-headed of the group, so I suppose I should ask you—how do we proceed from here?"

Isaac gave a short laugh. "I thought _you _wanted to lead us."

She flinched, seeing the earnest look in his one good eye. _Does he know…? Surely he can't… _She drew herself up, nodding. "Okay…okay. We have to assume that we can be attacked at any moment. Until we find out where in the city the enemy is based, we remain in this Coliseum, ready to defend it. No-one but a Saint will go out alone in the meantime, and a normal human going out should be guarded by at least two Saints. All that said, don't spread yourselves too thinly; I'll put the Foundation's resources to work searching the city."

"A fine plan." Isaac gave a slight bow. "I'll make a general of you yet."

Saori smiled despite herself. "If you're already this friendly with me, you must be like a brother to them."

He grinned. "They're good kids. It's hard not to like them." He turned for the door, adding, "Oh, and a word of advice. There's no telling when any of us will be called to action. As fabulous as they look, heavy, elaborate dresses aren't ideal for freedom of movement."

"I suppose I've never been one to dress practically," she admitted.

"You might want to consider it. Just until this is all over."

"I…guess." His departure left her alone with her thoughts. _I'll tell them soon…when I have better control over it. Until then…all I can do is ask the five of you…please bring Shun home._

* * *

_While the Black Saints certainly brought our heroes close to death in canon, they were all defeated in fairly short order. I'm hoping to portray them as a little more dangerous now that they're under the command of an intelligent, calculating leader like Shun, who can come up with plans like the fake-shadows ruse to throw the heroes off._

**Inevitable Question: **There were only four shadows here. Weren't there five in canon?

**Answer: **Yes. Yes there were.

**Possible Question: **Wait, weren't there a whole bunch?

**Answer: **Only in the anime. And I'm not totally against anime-only stuff as some kind of general rule, but in this case I think if the shadows become whole waves of cannon fodder, it makes them suck even more than they already do.


	6. Chapter 6: Marked for Death

**Chapter 6: Marked for Death**

_Anybody fluent in Spanish and want to try a translation? It's been recommended to me to make a translated Spanish version, since the fanbase there is so much bigger than the English-speaking one._

* * *

"They are quite formidable as a group," Black Cygnus said, pacing the rooftop's circular ledge. "We'll have a much easier time if we deal with them separately."

"Yeah, well…a surprise attack only works once," Black Andromeda pointed out. "They know what we look like, and Lord Shun's made it clear he doesn't expect to have to help us any more…"

Black Dragon stood up, seeming to come to a sudden realisation. "They've seen us, yes…but what do you think they remember?"

Black Cygnus smiled, catching on. "Our Cloths."

"Right." The leader turned to the others. "Follow me."

"Where are we going?" Black Pegasus asked, yawning.

"To steal some clothes."

* * *

Nachi hummed as he moved from one market stall to the next, trying to remember everyone's requests in his head. _Seiya eats like an eight-year-old, enough sugar to drown a man…so much raw meat for Jabu, I could probably just kill a deer and bring it back for him and he'd be happy…nothing but the best for Saori and her lackey…and Isaac and June barely eat at all. _He almost wished he didn't have superhuman strength, so he could complain about carrying such a weight of food around.

"You must have a pretty lazy family," a customer next to him said—a Middle Eastern boy with a shock of white hair, about Nachi's own age. "Making you carry all that."

"Hmm? Oh, heh." He smiled. "Nah, they just can't come today."

The kid bit into an apple he'd just bought, before giving it a disappointed look and tossing it away over his shoulder. "Want me to help carry it?"

"Uh, okay." _He seems honest, and if he is a thief or whatever, I can catch him pretty easy. _Nachi gratefully handed over some of his load, and led the way back towards the Coliseum. He glanced at the headlines as he passed a newsstand—the Galaxian Wars being put on hold, for 'undisclosed reasons', was pretty big news.

About half a block into their walk, Nachi's helper said casually, "Your arm…you sure heal fast, huh?"

"Yeah, I guess I…" Nachi came to a sudden halt. "How did you know—"

"Well, it's only been about a day, and I hit you pretty hard, right?" Nachi spun, seeing the boy dropping the bags he'd been given, a malevolent grin plastering itself across his face. "What, don't you remember me? Black Pegasus?"

"You!" Nachi dropped his own bags, springing back and beginning to raise his arms into a guard position, but something moved behind him and his retreat was halted. Another cold-eyed stranger stared down at him; Black Cygnus. He didn't see which one hit him, but a moment later he was flying through the air, smashing straight through the wall behind him and landing in someone's—luckily unoccupied—living room. People began to scatter, the crowds parting and traffic veering away from the commotion.

Black Pegasus laughed. "Was that it? They really are careless…"

"Don't get overconfident," Black Cygnus warned. "The others are much stronger than this one."

"Hey…what was that?" The voice startled the pair. They looked around, to see Nachi clambering back through the wrecked wall. "Making a few assumptions, guys."

Black Pegasus blinked, his face a mask of confusion. "How…"

Nachi tore off the remains of his jacket, revealing his Cloth underneath. "You really thought I'd go about in broad daylight, when you could attack at any time, unarmoured? And you think _we're _the dumb ones?" He smacked his fists together. "Now come on, the both of you!"

* * *

Jabu looked up from the screen, setting his controller down. "Someone just burnt their Cosmos…two…three! Nachi's in danger!"

"Hey, pause the game if you're gonna stop playing!" Seiya protested. "The boss just—"

"_Seiya!_"

"All right, all right!" Seiya threw his own controller aside, springing to his feet and sprinting off after Jabu, towards where they kept their Cloths. A few moments later, they met up with Isaac and June, who had sensed the commotion too, all four now in full armour.

"He needs our help immediately, but…" Isaac hesitated.

June nodded. "But if we all go, we leave this Coliseum, and those dwelling in it, undefended. So, let's say…Jabu and I can guard here—Seiya and Isaac, go to Nachi."

"Got it!" Seiya raced off with Isaac in tow.

"So, uh…why'd you pick these pairs?" Jabu asked, once the other two had left.

June shrugged. "I didn't have time to think my reasoning through. All I've got is that the Black Saints have _definitely _attacked in town, but only _might _attack here. Isaac and Seiya are a little stronger than us, so they should go."

"Uh…right…"

* * *

Black Dragon watched Seiya and Isaac leap off down the street, taking thirty-foot bounds in their haste to aid their besieged friend. _Excellent. They've taken the bait…I can handle the rest. _"Ready, brother?" He received a faint whisper of a reply, and nodded, turning to the Coliseum. "We've stretched them to their limit. All that remains now is to deal the deathblow."

* * *

Nachi skidded head-first through the fountain that marked the centre of the plaza—the crowds had rapidly scattered, emptying it. As he climbed unsteadily to his feet, squad cars screamed up to the battleground, swerving to a halt and disgorging dozens of armed officers. "Wait! They're too—"

He wasn't fast enough; Black Cygnus swung in a wide circle, both arms extended, waves of dark frost sweeping over the policemen, settling and then shattering a moment later, tearing the human forces apart. Scattered survivors returned fire, but their bullets hissed through empty air, and they were quickly sent fleeing as a few punches from Black Pegasus upended their cars, hurling them away down the street.

"You bastards…" Nachi growled, his ebbing Cosmos resurging. "They were no threat to you!"

"No, but they were highly distracting," said Black Cygnus.

Black Pegasus grinned. "'Sides, it was a good way to kill a minute. Fighting you is getting boring. Don't even need our Cloths…"

"That so…" Nachi lowered his head, sliding back one leg, adopting a sprinter's ready pose. _I know I'm nothing special…but just this once…when I give it all I got—please, let it be enough! _He sprung, his eyes fierce, teeth gritted, leaping straight for the cocky youth.

"Try it! You've already proven you're no match!" Black Pegasus took a step back, casually lining up a punch to intercept and swinging—only for his fist to clatter against loose metal; the now-empty Wolf-Cloth. His eyes widened as he registered Nachi's foot touching down behind him, and he tried to turn, too late.

"Think you can look down on me?" Nachi growled. "DEAD—" He formed his right hand into a claw shape, turning a rapid half-circle. "—_Howling—_!" He pivoted on the ball of his foot, slashing by Black Pegasus' face, coming to a halt with his arm still extended, now facing away from his opponent, his abandoned Cloth finally crashing to the ground.

His high-speed motion created a vacuum, directed in five points at his enemy's face by his 'claws', tearing into Black Pegasus and launching him away across the plaza, tearing up the ground as he went.

Nachi straightened up, cracking his knuckles and turning to Black Cygnus. "Next."

The second Black Saint chuckled. "Very cool. But don't dismiss him yet. Our Pegasus is as tenacious as yours…"

Black Pegasus, indeed, was picking himself up, one hand pressed to the cut on the side of his face. "Okay…okay. Nice shot. But you've made me mad now…let me show you the real gap in our skill…"

* * *

"I dunno…I feel kind of silly, wearing my Cloth indoors," Jabu was saying, tapping at his shoulder-plate. "I mean, it's been a while. If they were gonna attack—"

The lights cut out. "—son of a bitch," he finished.

"Get over here!" June yelled, and understanding her meaning, he jumped over to the centre of the room, and they stood back to back, trying to feel for any kind of presence. Everything seemed silent and still but them, though. Jabu relaxed, very slightly.

Whereupon he was immediately struck by a devastating stomach punch.

June spun, lashing out in his attacker's direction, but they'd vanished into the darkness again, Cosmos receding as quickly as it had risen. She leaned down to help the winded Jabu up, but somehow, again, their enemy saw the moment of weakness, something striking her on the chin and flinging her back through the wall behind her. Jabu rolled away, diving back through the hole she'd made and joining back up with her.

"I don't sense anyone upstairs…" he muttered.

She nodded. "They know if they attack Saori or Tatsumi, we'll intercept, so they're just going for us first and getting it over with."

"Yay."

"Focus." June turned in a slow circle, scanning the blackened corridor. "Even besides having the advantage over us in this darkness…this Black Saint is powerful."

"You flatter me," a deep voice purred from behind them. "And just so you know, it's Black Dragon. Pleasure to make your acquaintance."

"You—!" Jabu jumped at the words, throwing a rising kick, but struck nothing but the ceiling, punching a large hole in it before landing, snarling in frustration.

However, Black Dragon had evidently been harder-pressed to dodge than he expected, and he stumbled against the wall as he tried to retreat again. June picked up the noise, flicking out her whip and snaring his forearm. "Got you!"

Black Dragon snorted. "Yes, well done." With that, he pulled, June vanishing off into the dark and going quiet after a few crashes and thumps. Black Dragon's voice echoed down the corridor, chilling Jabu's blood. "One down."

* * *

Black Pegasus advanced, streams of power rising from the ground around him and coiling in dark, twisting clouds around his limbs. "All right…you want me to fight for real?"

Nachi finished putting his armour back on; he'd taken advantage of the opportunity Black Pegasus had given him by grandstanding and making a big deal of his recovery. "You think you can beat me without your Cloth?"

"Someone like you? No problem." He jumped, reaching the apex a couple metres from his foe and swinging his arm down, releasing a barrage of deadly attacks. "_Black Ryu Sei Ken!_"

Nachi tried to dodge, but they came on far too fast. _Looks like a…shower of meteors…?! _The blows tore through his Cloth, driving into his skin and landing him on his back, groaning.

"Down already?" Black Pegasus landed, holding his attacking fist up in triumph. "We haven't even got to the best part!" He paused, sniffing at the air. _What's this…? Slightly acidic…and ozone, maybe? Actually, kind of like the right atmosphere for…lightning— _He leapt, just avoiding the impact of Seiya's Thunder Claw as it punched a crater into the ground where he'd been standing, the Black Saint landing on an overturned squad car via a quick backflip.

Meanwhile, Black Cygnus had whipped around, sending streams of cold energy down the street—but within a few seconds, an opposing icy blast overpowered them, smashing through Black Cygnus' defences and forcing him to retreat too, Isaac's approaching footsteps crunching over the now-frozen ground.

"We're leaving," Black Cygnus said, assessing the situation.

"We can take 'em—" Black Pegasus objected.

"They're in full armour, and you're injured. We're not to take any chances, remember. Come on."

Watching his partner slink off, Black Pegasus turned briefly back towards their three enemies. "Well…I took out one, anyway."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Seiya called, hoisting Nachi up onto his shoulder. "He'll recover soon enough."

"Sorry, but I've already struck the winning blow. You'll soon learn to fear the Black Meteor Fist…or rather, the Black Death Fist…" With that, he was gone.

Seiya rolled his eyes. "Must've taken him a whole five minutes to come up with that one. Why's everyone gotta be so melodramatic?"

"Get used to it," Isaac grunted. "I guess they were just trying to isolate Nachi, and weren't looking for a pitched battle."

Nachi lifted his head. "'m okay, but…who's guarding the Coliseum?"

"Uh…Jabu and June," Seiya answered.

"Seen the other two Black Saints recently?"

"…we should get back."

* * *

Jabu sprinted down the corridor, trying to find his way out of what now seemed like a maze of doors and turnings.

"Your movements are as clear as day to me!" Black Dragon called out from behind him. "You turned left! Now right! Left again, and through the first door! See, you can't hide from me!"

"Will you shut up for a second…" Jabu vaulted the table in the centre of the room, made for where he was pretty sure a door was—and practically ran straight into Black Dragon. "—eep." _Wait, wasn't he behind me— _Something hit him, and he went down, losing consciousness immediately.

* * *

Saori and Tatsumi descended the stairs with flashlights in hand, carefully making their way towards the exit, just in time to run into Seiya, Isaac and Nachi returning.

"Sorry…" Nachi mumbled. "Lost your groceries…I kinda got punched into a building."

"As long as you're okay," Saori said, smiling.

"Did you guys see June or Jabu on the way in here?" Tatsumi asked.

Isaac frowned. "No…aren't they with you?"

"There was fighting downstairs," Saori explained, "and then…I'm not sure. It went quiet, and we haven't been able to find them anywhere. Wait…you mean they…"

"If they were dead, the Black Saints wouldn't have a reason to take their bodies," Isaac reasoned. "So…they're keeping them for some other purpose…to use them against us somehow."

Seiya, meanwhile, was looking somewhat perplexed. "Nachi? You okay?"

"Yeah…uh…no. I dunno, actually." The Wolf Saint was leaning against the wall, panting, resting his hands on his knees. "Body feels…heavy. Hot." Suddenly, he began tearing at his Cloth, hurling the pieces to the ground. "All the spots the Black Ryu Sei Ken hit…hurt worst," he explained breathlessly as he sank to the ground, the others gathering around him and spotting the black marks beginning to form on his skin; one for every blow dealt by the deadly attack.

"So this is what he meant…" Isaac said grimly. "The 'Black Death Fist'…an attack that slowly destroys the body from within. I've heard of techniques like this."

"Get him to the medical bay, now!" Saori ordered, and the Saints unquestioningly picked their injured comrade up, rushing inside.

"The marks are spreading!" Seiya noticed with some alarm.

"They burn…!" Nachi growled, clawing at his skin. "Gonna kill that guy…"

* * *

"I would have liked to get to the heiress and her manservant, too," Black Dragon explained, dumping his two unconscious captives on the floor of the safehouse, "but Cygnus and Pegasus were returning by then."

"No matter," said Black Cygnus. "We'll use these two to draw the others out."

Black Andromeda nodded. "I'll guard the prisoners—you can take care of Cygnus and Pegasus. Wolf will die soon, and Bear, Lionet and Hydra are too injured to fight. Three on two should be a safe bet."

* * *

_Things are not looking good for our heroes, it must be said._

_Um…I don't have much else to say here…stay tuned for more!_


	7. Chapter 7: Divine Intervention

**Chapter 7: Divine Intervention**

* * *

Seiya and Isaac heaved Nachi onto the nearest bed in the medical bay; the lights flickered on, indicating that Tatsumi had been successful in turning the power back on.

Saori, her practiced reserve forgotten for the moment, dumped the contents of the trauma kit onto the next bed along. "I've never heard of anything like this…" she muttered, sorting through the various medical instruments.

"Of course not…" Isaac replied. "Like most everything to do with the Saints, it falls outside of the normal world."

Seiya stared down at his twitching, growling comrade. "I'm guessing…when the black marks spread to cover his whole body, he'll die."

"We probably don't have more than a couple minutes, at this rate," Saori said. "Well…any ideas?"

"Possibly." Isaac stepped forwards, raising one finger. "The damage is spreading internally, so…it might be carried in the blood. Bleeding him might work…"

"He'll probably bleed out first!" Saori protested. "That's barbaric!"

"True…but there's another aspect to it. Black Pegasus' residual Cosmos is constricting Nachi's, diminishing it at the same rate his body weakens. If we can give Nachi's Cosmos a focal point, it might be able to expel Black Pegasus' along with some of his blood."

Seiya gave a blank look. "How are we supposed to do that?"

Grim-faced, Isaac lunged, jabbing his finger into Nachi's left shoulder, before making another stab into Nachi's right side just above the waist. Imbued with his superhuman strength, his finger tore easily through the unconscious Saint's flesh, and oily, black blood streamed out of the two holes. "The fate of a Saint is linked to their guardian constellation…Nachi's is Canis Minor," he explained. "By making incisions at the points of Canis Minor's two main stars, I've opened the floodgates…it's now up to his own Cosmos to expel the evil, and keep him alive."

Seiya turned away, pacing across the room, muttering under his breath. Saori, meanwhile, glanced around at her companions. _No-one's looking… _She slipped her hand down onto the bed, touching Nachi's head with her fingertips for just a moment; a faint glow passed down through them, and Nachi's breathing became a little less laboured, some colour returning to his skin.

Isaack spun in a slow circle, frowning. _I thought I sensed an intense Cosmos nearby…but it's gone now… _He shook his head. _I probably imagined it. It's been a stressful day…_

* * *

_The next morning…_

"Looks like he's going to pull through," Saori said happily, emerging from the medical bay and approaching her two remaining Saints.

"That's great!" Seiya enthused. "When will he be up and about?"

"Too early to say," she replied. "But I'm glad he's safe, at least."

_More than 'great'… _Isaac gave Saori a sidelong glance. _I'd have called it 'impossible'. At the rate he was losing life-force, I didn't think Nachi was strong enough to make it. Maybe I just underestimated him, or… _His eyes narrowed slightly. _…maybe he had help. _This, and a couple of previous incidents, were starting to all come together to form a bigger picture; he still couldn't quite grasp what that picture was, though.

"Anyway," Seiya was saying, "what now? There's only two of us still able to fight, and there's still five of them…they have Jabu, they have June, they have the Gold Cloth…they know where we are, and we can't even start looking for _them _for fear of splitting up…"

"I…don't know," Isaac admitted. "There's not much we can do, beyond waiting for their next attack—and that doesn't sound too enticing either."

"I believe that wait is over…" Tatsumi entered the room, bearing a letter. "We have mail. From, er…from Shun."

"Let me see!" Saori snatched it from his hands, tearing the envelope open; the others crowded around.

_To my fellow hellspawn,_

_Your friends are alive. At least, you'll have to take my word that they are. They will cease to be if Seiya and the replacement Cygnus—and __nobody else__—fail to meet us on the docks, midnight tonight._

_I should finish this with some kind of threat or gloat, I suppose. But I don't really have the energy right now. I think I've said all I need to anyway._

_Regards,_

_Shun._

Saori's hands had gripped the paper tighter and tighter as she read, and as she finished she tore it fully in half.

Seiya shook his head. "It's not the real him…I'll make him remember."

"Do we go?" Isaac wondered. "They'll probably just use the hostages to make us easy to kill, then when we're out of the way, kill them too."

"We have to…" Seiya said. "We'll think of something by then. Everything else aside, this is the only time we'll know for sure where they are…"

* * *

A lithe figure crouched on a rooftop, watching Seiya and Isaac leave through the Coliseum's main entrance. _I'll wait until they reach the docks…they'll be too busy to notice me._

* * *

_"I knew the other Shadows would be defeated, you know…do you want to guess why I spared you that fate?"_

"_I could not begin to understand the workings of your mind, Lord Shun."_

"_I have a special task for you…not difficult, but important nonetheless. I will shortly be drawing out the remaining Saints. They're the ones that mainly concern me at the moment, but I may as well save some time, and they will of course be leaving the Coliseum undefended. Do you think you can kill two humans for me? An old man and a spoiled rich kid…"_

"_It will be my genuine pleasure, my lord."_

* * *

The Shadow hunkered down lower. _Just a few more minutes…_

* * *

"Jabu.

"_Jabu! _Wake up!" The whisper grew more intense.

"Eh…?" Jabu's eyes lazily rolled open. "Where—"

"Speak quietly!" June hissed. "They think we're still out."

He nodded, tried to bring his hand up to rub his face, felt resistance and heard a metallic _clink_.

"Black Andromeda's chains," she explained, rolling over partially and showing she was similarly bound. "Probably not impossible to break…but without him noticing…" She tilted her head towards the other end of the room. "…somewhat harder—I've been trying."

Jabu looked over in the direction she'd indicated, taking in their surroundings as he did so—some kind of dockside warehouse. At the other end of the room, the two lengths of black chain snaking across the floor and leading up towards a large crate, atop which sat a softly-muttering armoured figure, facing away from them. A small pile of metallic objects rested next to the crate, and Jabu realised with a start what it was—their Cloths. _Well, I guess it makes sense they'd take them…aheh, glad I didn't get captured last week, when I totally forgot to wear my civilian clothes under my Cloth…_

"You feel that?" June asked.

He looked back at her. "Huh?"

"Seiya and Isaac," she explained. "Their Cosmos is getting closer…Shun must be using us to draw them out."

"…yeah, I sense them…" His face grew serious. "If we haven't escaped by the time they get here, we'll be used against them."

She nodded. "At the speed they're going…we can't have more than two or three minutes before they arrive."

"Okay, so…plan, uh…plan…if I really focused my Cosmos, I could probably break free, but it'd take me a minute or so."

"Same here. But he'd sense us, or even just hear us, and put a stop to it well before we were done. So…one of us needs to keep him busy while the other frees themselves…"

"…then the free one takes over so the other one can break free, and then we double-team him, get our Cloths back and meet up with the others," Jabu finished. "Sounds easy when you say it like that. But how do we decide who does what?"

June smiled. "I admit rock-paper-scissors would be rather difficult right now."

"Well, you're stronger than me, so you could break out quicker…"

She considered this. "Honestly…I think your Cosmos has the potential to burn far brighter than you realise. And this is just the kind of situation to bring it out—it wouldn't take you as long as you think. With that said…" She stood up, careful to avoid making a sound. "…I am faster than you. I'll be able to hold him for longer." She took a deep breath. _No Cloth…still tired from earlier…half the number of available limbs I'm used to…sure, Jabu, it 'sounds easy'._ "So…whenever you're ready."

* * *

"Shun!" Seiya called. "Get out here!" He and Isaac wandered between decrepit, abandoned buildings, under billboards advertising long-forgotten products, through side-alleys and even over the odd stream.

"I don't see anyone…are we even in the right place?" Isaac muttered, as they jumped the fence into a construction site. "Just saying 'the docks' isn't very specific..." Just as he said this, however, a spotlight burst into life, highlighting the two of them against the evening dark.

"Lord Shun doesn't need to concern himself with scum like you!" came a shout from the darkness.

"We'll be more than enough," said another, from a completely different direction. The effect, combined with the glaring light, was extremely disorienting. "Although I doubt we'll even have to fight…assuming you care about your friends."

"What about it?" Seiya snarled.

"Easy," Isaac cautioned.

"First, we'll prove they're alive," came the reply. "We'll send for Black Andromeda. Then, you'll let us kill you, or the two of them will die instead."

"Foolish!" Isaac snapped. "Why would we agree to that? You'll just kill them afterwards anyway!"

"And yet, that's the deal. Would you prefer we just tell him to kill them now? Because—"

"Question!" Seiya shouted, interrupting whichever Black Saint it was. "Is that a few Cosmos over there? Kinda feels like a fight's going on. Not sure if you have prisoners anymore. That tends to make it a bit hard to ransom them."

"Damn it…" growled one of them. "Regroup! Now! Subdue the prisoners!" There was a scuffling of feet, and the Black Saints sped off towards the warehouse, Seiya and Isaac only a moment behind them.

* * *

The moment Jabu began flaring up his Cosmos, Black Andromeda's head snapped up. He jumped to his feet, tugging on the chain leading to Jabu and trying to disrupt his efforts, but June jumped in to intercept, stamping her foot down on it before the force reached Jabu. "Sorry, your opponent is me," she declared.

"Move!" he growled, now yanking on his end of the chain attached to June's wrists, but she planted both feet firmly on the ground, growling as she slid across the room towards him, but staying upright.

He frowned. _Probably more useful as offensive weapons… _He sent a small pulse of Cosmos down both chains, severing them and withdrawing both to him for use in further attacks, leaving only the lengths around their hands. "Well…it makes no difference to me…if you want an early death, then come!" He jumped down off the crate, lashing out with both lengths at June. She dived forwards, twisting in the air to avoid them. _At this speed, one hit from those could be deadly… _She rolled, rising quickly and ducking under one of the swinging chains, weaving in close and making another leap, swinging a leg up in a wide arc and smashing an upwards kick into his chin. "Eeyaaah!"

"Guh—!" He gave a choked cry of pain, flying backwards, but managed to recover in mid-air, flipping over so he landed upright. June touched down in front of him, pivoting her whole body and making a spinning kick—this time he was ready, easily blocking and throwing a series of rapid punches into her stomach. She winced, not having moved to dodge—she'd instinctively tried to guard with her hands. Thinking fast, she pushed off the ground, bringing her other leg up so she now had one clamped around each side of his blocking arm, and heaved her whole body backwards, putting her Cosmos behind it and flipping both of them over, slamming him down into the floor, his Cloth ringing from the impact. Not giving him time to catch his bearings, she pitched forwards for a headbutt, aiming lower at the last second to avoid his Cloth's headpiece, the resulting jarring impact drawing another pained yell from him.

Spewing profanities, his nose broken, he kicked her off, staggering forwards to punch her across the face before almost collapsing, then backing off warily as she recovered her balance. "You'll…regret that…" _Fine…I'll just go for the killing blow right— _His train of thought ground to a halt as he spied Jabu at the other end of the room, instantly realising what was going on. _Damn it…I've been played! _"I won't let you!" he shouted, launching one of the dark chains again, this time aiming it straight for Jabu, who, June saw, was so focused on his task there was no way he'd notice in time.

She darted forwards as the chain flew past her, catching it between her teeth and heaving backwards; with a great effort, and some assistance from her enemy's surprise, this succeeded in pulling Black Andromeda off his feet and reeling him in towards her, where she rammed her knee into his oncoming stomach. He made a series of interesting wheezes and squeaks before sinking to the ground, where he stayed.

There came an explosion of light and noise from across the warehouse, and Jabu sprung to his feet, having finally freed himself, broken chain-links clattering to the floor around him. "Damn, but that's tough, whatever it's made of…uh, right! Don't worry, I'm coming—" He almost started to sprint, but slowed to a jog upon seeing the situation. "Uh…did you just…beat him?"

"Guess so," June replied, shrugging.

"But…uh…without your…and you had your…I mean…ugh…times like this I feel kinda useless…"

"Speaking of which…" June gave a grunt, holding up her freed hands as the chains fell away, suddenly coming loose. "I guess when he fell unconscious, they lost their power."

"Yup," Jabu groaned, slouching over to fetch his Cloth. "Useless." Just as they began to re-armour themselves, though, something sent a shiver through them. "Uh…that's a lot of people heading this way…"

June nodded. "Seiya, Isaac, and the other three Black Saints, yeah." She held up her mask—she hadn't been wearing it when they'd been attacked by Black Dragon back at the Coliseum, but she'd had it with her, so they'd put it in the pile with the other Cloth pieces. Chewing her lip and staring at it for a couple of seconds, she finally gave another shrug and tossed it away, fastening on her headband instead. "Let's go meet them."

"Right!" Jabu pounded a fist into his open palm. "I gotta beat _somebody _up today!"

"You'll certainly try."

"Ah, shaddup."

* * *

The three Black Saints skidded to a halt as they approached the warehouse—June and Jabu emerged to block their way in, tossing Black Andromeda down at their feet. Just as they took this in, Seiya and Isaac caught up with them, jumping down from the rooftops and helping the other two Saints surround their enemies.

"I guess we can forget the rescue mission, then," Seiya said, grinning.

"You can that," Jabu agreed.

Isaac took a step inwards. "You're not escaping this time."

"Wasn't planning on it," Black Dragon spat.

"Sure about that?" June asked, laughing. "Most of you can't handle us one on one, and the odds aren't in your favour this time."

"True. Perhaps someone should even those odds." The voice, soft yet menacing, spoke from above. All eyes turned upwards, settling on the brightly-glowing figure perched atop a construction crane—Shun. "Hello again. Always a pleasure."

* * *

Saori paced incessantly, wringing her hands to the point of pain. "Tatsumi…I can't stand this! If one of them dies—"

"I know it's hard," her manservant reassured her. "But worrying won't improve their chances…I'll make tea, all right? Steady your nerves." He trotted out of the bedroom—and was immediately hurled back in the door by a great impact, cracking the plaster as he hit the wall and slumped, moaning, to the floor.

"Tatsumi!" Saori cried, running over to him and checking—alive, though barely conscious. "Hang in there…" she managed, her voice cracking.

Shun's final Black Phoenix clambered through the doorway, the opening barely accommodating his bulky, armoured frame. "Tch, he survived. I wasn't paying attention…"

She shrank back slightly. "Y-You…monster…what did he ever do to deserve—"

The Shadow paused at the full sight of her. He'd been sent to execute a spoiled heiress—but this young woman looked dressed for a workout (not that he knew, but she'd taken Isaac's suggestion on practicality), and besides, the depth of anger in her eyes was…unsettling. He shook his head. "One thing at a time—you'll get your turn!" He swooped in at superhuman speed, tossing her over his shoulder into the hallway and rounding on his first target.

Saori landed in a whirl of confusion and pain, struggling to find her bearings and using the wall to help herself stand. _Right…while I keep my power contained, I am a normal human…no way I could stop him. Tatsumi would probably prefer it this way—he'd tell me to run and not risk revealing myself. But…to hell with it. I'm not losing anyone else. _She took a deep breath, letting something within rise to the surface. "Don't you take another step!" she barked.

"Eh?" Moments from delivering the killing blow, the Black Phoenix paused, turning back towards her. _A Cosmos?! Who the hell is she…? _His eyes narrowed behind his visor. "Whatever. I guess you're first after all. Ah, it's a real shame to have to destroy something so beautiful, but you know how it is; business before pleasure and all that." He rushed at her again, aiming his fist straight at her throat—where it stopped, held back by a force vastly beyond his own. Saori hadn't moved a muscle, and merely remained glaring at him. A moment later, his gauntlet cracked, then crumbled away entirely; then an ethereal flame sprung up around his hand, searing it, causing him to spring away, clutching his smouldering limb. "Wh-Wha…?"

The next second, her hand was at his throat, and the fiery, judging eyes seemed to fill his entire field of vision, boring into his soul. "You despicable…" she whispered—then, keeping a firm hold of his neck, she _jumped_.

After a brief, terrifying blur, the Shadow regained his wits to find them both high over the night-lit city, Saori having crested the arc of her jump, the pair of them now rapidly descending. The wind roared past them, but her voice was still perfectly audible as they fell. "When you wake up, you leave this place," she said; the strained formality of her speech was somehow far more threatening than any curse she could have yelled. "You never even think about returning. I never want to see you again, and if you should prey on the defenceless or the innocent even once more in your life, I will find you. Do I make myself understood?" He gave no vocal response, desperately trying to prise her fingers away from his neck. She nodded. "I think I do."

Tatsumi awoke to a thunderous noise, lurching to his feet and dragging himself to the door, throwing it open. He was confronted with Saori, bruises forming on her face and shoulder, radiating a strange light. Behind her was a huge crater in the road, at the centre of which lay a black-armoured man, twitching slightly.

She entered the Coliseum, helping Tatsumi into a chair, then gave a sigh, letting the glow die down; as her Cosmos faded, she began to feel the injuries more. "I'm sorry," she said. "I should've noticed—"

"You are not the one…who should be…saying that," he wheezed. "I failed…to protect you…milady. I humbly apologise."

"Given what we know, I'm not sure if there's much in the way of protection that you can offer me," she teased.

"And yet…that is my duty. To you…and your grandfather."

"And I appreciate that. I'm just glad it wasn't worse…" She glanced back over her shoulder, trailing off. "…Shun's reappeared. He's confronting the others." She made fists, turning towards the door. "I should—"

He stood, putting a hand on her shoulder. "No…not yet. Even what you did just now was risky—you're still not in full control."

"And letting them risk their lives without my help, that isn't risky?!" she cried, shoving his hand away.

"Miss…" he pleaded. "You know that this is not the endgame. If Sanctuary were to detect you before your power matured…"

"Yes…" She sank against the wall, nodding. "Yes, you're right. That would be far worse." _Seiya…Jabu…June…Isaac…Shun. It's up to you all to come through this. I'm counting on you…_

* * *

_My plans for the story arcs following this one are starting to coalesce…anyway, next chapter the final battle with Shun and the Black Saints begins! Sorta…_

_Also, just for reference, currently Isaac is a bit stronger than Hyoga was at this point in canon (since he was the better of the two during their training); and Shun is about as powerful as Ikki was at this time. "Wait, what?!" you cry. "Shouldn't he be much weaker or much stronger, depending on the status of his hidden power?" Yes. Strange, isn't it? The answers will be revealed…eventually…_


	8. Chapter 8: Caligula

**Chapter 8: Caligula**

_I will be impressed if anyone can work out the reason for the chapter title._

* * *

"Disperse," Shun said to his Black Saints. "I will deal with this."

"But you said we could—" Black Pegasus began.

"You can't beat them three on four!" Shun snapped. "Besides…all of them gathered together in one place, ready for battle…too good of an opportunity to waste. Now get out of here!"

The Black Saints nodded and slunk off, two of them carrying Black Andromeda. Jabu made to pursue them, but Isaac clamped a hand onto his arm, shaking his head, staring up at Shun.

Their enemy descended from his perch, landing gracefully a few feet from them.

"Where's your Phoenix Cloth?" Seiya asked.

"Well, there is another reason I changed my mind about fighting you…" Shun admitted. "See, I wanted to give something a practice run."

"Practice run…? What are you…" June trailed off. "You can't mean—"

Shun grinned, snapping his fingers; a column of light erupted out of the shadow behind him, and a swarm of metallic objects flew through the air towards him, clamping around his body and slowly covering him in glimmering, golden metal; the glow surrounding him lit up the night.

"The Gold Cloth…" Isaac whispered.

Jabu groaned. "He can actually wear it?"

Slowly, moving with great care, Shun raised his arms in front of him, fists clenching. "Come at me."

"Damn it…all right." Seiya stepped forwards. "Under that borrowed Cloth, you're still a Saint like me! And in a battle between Saints, your Cosmos is more important than any armour!" He swung a punch into Shun's head, but it rebounded painfully off the Gold Cloth.

"What are you saying?" Shun asked, his voice monotone. "That you can raise your Cosmos to the level of a Gold Saint's? Don't make me laugh." He raised his head, looking Seiya in the eyes. "This Cloth is from a world you can't even comprehend…you don't know the power of the Golds."

Growling, Seiya sped around behind Shun, kicking at the small of his back, but again to no avail—Shun still hadn't moved. Seiya somersaulted over his head, landing in front of his head. "Okay, try this—_Thunder Claw!_" His hand blurred out of sight, peppering Shun's body with Mach-speed attacks, bolts of lightning crackling between the points of impact; but Shun, still unharmed by the barrage, merely sighed, waiting for Seiya to tire himself out before taking a single step forwards and smacking him through an adjacent wall with a casual backhanded swing.

Jabu rushed after Seiya, intent on checking the extent of his injuries, but Shun intercepted him, tossing him to the ground by the leg and raising his arm to deliver the killing blow. Before he could, though, something wrapped itself around his wrist, holding him back—June's whip. He grunted, pulling forwards on it and tearing the weapon from her hands. Not wasting time, she jumped at him; he let yet another blow reflect harmlessly off the Sagittarius Cloth before kicking her away. _I'll get to her later…it's my brothers who must die first… _As he tried to decide between Seiya and Jabu, ice crystals began to swirl up around his legs, fixing him to the ground.

"Hold!" Isaac called, approaching. "You still have me to face."

"So I do." Shun broke free of the ice easily, turning to face the Cygnus Saint. "I apologise...I forgot you were here."

"Hmh." Isaac gripped his right forearm with his left hand, bracing himself as he focused all his power into the space just in front of his palm. He gave it a final push, throwing his arm forwards and releasing the stored power. "_Diamond DUST!"_

Shun walked effortlessly through the frigid attack, coming close and closer to Isaac. "You really think you can freeze a Gold Cloth with that kind of power?"

Isaac didn't reply, gritting his teeth and pouring more power into his attack. _Of course I don't think that…Bronze Cloths freeze at –240 F…Silver Cloths at –330 F…but a Gold Cloth won't freeze at anything less than Absolute Zero; -459 F. Not even Master Camus can produce frozen air that cold. I never thought I'd be able to do it, but…damn it! I'm not even pushing him back!_

Shun closed the rest of the distance between them, closing his hand around Isaac's and slowly tightening his grip, drawing a pained moan as Shun's iron fingers crushed inwards, cracking Isaac's gauntlet and putting strain on the bone.

Before he could inflict serious damage, Shun felt arms grip him from behind—Seiya, pulling backwards with all his might. "Shun…that Cloth is supposed to be used to protect the world—I know this feels wrong to you!"

"Don't you dare lecture me!" Shun snarled, shoving Isaac away and throwing himself backwards, crashing through a brick wall and letting Seiya take the brunt of the impact. "Damn…you're persistent, at least…what are you planning? I'm completely immune to your strongest attack!"

"Graaah!" Seiya lurched backwards, throwing Shun back and over his head, landing the Phoenix Saint on the ground behind him. Seiya straightened up, panting. "Isaac…run! I'll slow—_ghuk!_" His sentence was cut short as Shun, recovering quickly, delivered a blow that shattered the Pegasus Cloth's chestplate.

_I don't even have to use my techniques… _Watching Isaac spring at him, Shun weaved around to the left, dragging Isaac down out of the air and into his rising knee. _I can just beat them all to death…this is so easy!_ Isaac coughed up blood, rolling away and lying in place, shuddering.

"Time to clean up, I suppose," Shun said, shrugging.

"Not…_yet_…!" came Seiya's voice from behind.

Shun turned. "Again? You really don't know when to lie down and give up…"

"I told you, Shun…that Gold Cloth isn't meant to be used like that! If you keep using it for your own gain, it'll be your destruction!"

"I doubt that," Shun snorted. He gave a wave of his hand, causing an explosive burst of Cosmos that took Seiya off his feet.

Seiya struggled back up, raising his hands into the familiar position and weaving them back and forth in front of his face. _Sagittarius…if you really are a tool for justice…then hear the voice of my Cosmos now! Help me save this man!_

Shun yawned. "You saw it yourself, that attack is—"

"Pegasus…" Seiya breathed, his eyes snapping open and his right arm flashing out with a sonic boom that shattered the glass for a hundred metres around them. "—_Thunder Claw!_"

Shun just stood there and grinned, until, at the last instant, part of the glow surrounding him faded, and something detached itself from his chest, clattering to the floor. His look quickly turned to one of panic, and there was an enormous noise, accompanied by a storm of electric bolts swirling up around the pair—Seiya now stood directly in front of Shun, whose chest-plate had abandoned him, leaving his torso unprotected. Seiya's hand was poised to strike, inches from hitting home, but Shun had managed to block just in time, seizing Seiya's wrist. Both were out of breath, though Seiya more so.

_He's…so fast, too…! _Seiya tore free, springing back. _What do I do…?_

"What did you do?!" Shun demanded. _Whatever happened, I can't let this continue… _"I'll end this now—_Phoenix Storm!_" A rush of flames leapt from his outstretched hand, racing at Seiya—but failing to meet their target, scorching the building behind instead. Seiya now stood behind Shun once more, grabbing him in the same hold as before. "What the…?!" _How did he evade my attack? No normal Bronze should be able to match me, even without the Gold Cloth, and yet—_

"You couldn't counter from this position before," Seiya growled, tensing up and bending his knees.

"And you…couldn't hurt me!" Shun snarled back, desperately trying to shake Seiya off.

"Not with my other attacks…and not with the Gold Cloth protecting you. But I don't think you can rely on it anymore, and…I've come up with something new, just for you!"

"Wh-What?!"

Seiya gave a tremendous yell, launching both of them high into the air, the full force of his Cosmos propelling them up into a backwards arc. _I've figured out how to land a hit, but…Sagittarius! Help me once more, please! _"Pegasus—"

"Wait—!"

"—_Rolling CRUSH!" _They crested their arc and were instantly propelled back down by the same force, if not greater, sending them crashing through the roof of another warehouse and into the ground, carving out a crater around their zone of impact. Seiya rolled away; Shun now lay groaning in the centre of the crater, his head bleeding—the Sagittarius Cloth's helmet had abandoned him at the last instant, rolling away across the floor.

Shun tried to stand, stumbling a few steps before a vibration ran through his body from head to toe—and the Sagittarius Cloth leapt off of him, reforming in statue form across the room from him. He weakly reached for it. "Why…why…?"

"It's over, Shun," Seiya said, gasping for breath as he advanced. "Come back to us."

"You…condescending bastard…" Shun hissed, and Seiya flinched away—even since returning, even while trying to kill them, none of them had never heard Shun swear before. "Stop trying to find the 'old me' in here," Shun continued. "I know what this is about…you think if I can be redeemed, you can too. Give it up already…" His eyes flicked back and forth from Seiya to the Gold Cloth, calculating; finally, he leapt back out of the hole in the roof. "Fine! I've softened you all up enough—the Black Four can finish the job! They'll hunt you anywhere you try to hide! Then we'll just take the Gold Cloth back once you're dead!"

"Well screw you too!" Seiya called after Shun as he vanished, failing to think of an actual clever comeback.

* * *

It took a few minutes for everyone to recover and gather by the Gold Cloth. "I guess, uh…" Seiya took a step towards it, reaching a hand out—and recoiled as a jolt of pain shot up his arm. "Uh, never mind."

"I guess now you've awakened its will, it's not acknowledging any of us as its master," Isaac offered.

June nodded. "We'll just have to finish this without it. Speaking of which, the Black Saints are on the run—Shun told them to scatter, but I doubt they had anywhere in particular in mind. They'd planned to finish us here."

"Right!" Jabu smiled. "So let's get after 'em right now!"

"For once, I agree with you," Isaac said. "I know none of us are at 100%, but if we can finally track them down and engage them each one-on-one…this may be our best chance to end this yet."

"All right." Seiya gave the thumbs-up, and the others returned it. "The Gold Cloth can look after itself now, so…let's take 'em out, and meet up back at the Coliseum. Don't any of you dare die!"

"Same to you!" Jabu bumped fists with his erstwhile rival, grinning before turning and racing away into the night.

* * *

Black Andromeda, having been slapped back to wakefulness by his 'friends', took a few steps' run-up before launching himself off the office block, lashing one chain around a nearby rooftop arial and swinging over the streets. _I'll find the highest point in the city…I'll be able to observe everything from— _He sent his other chain out to swing again, but it never reached its target; something glistened on the metal, and it sagged, weighed down by something. Caught off-guard, Black Andromeda lost his balance, desperately tugging back on the first chain and hauling himself up to the roof before he entered into a multi-story freefall.

He leaned against the arial, reeling in his weapons and examining the strangely-affected one. _Frosted over…does that mean— _He felt a chill run up his legs; ice crystals were forming around his feet, rushing towards him. Giving a start, he leapt to the next rooftop over, boots sparking against the metal roof. "Show yourself, Cygnus!" he yelled hoarsely.

A great blizzard sprung up around the skyscraper, blocking out Black Andromeda's view of the city around him; from within the storm, Isaac emerged, stepping firmly onto the roof. "As you wish."

"Grrh!" Black Andromeda flung his chains out in Isaac's direction. "You think you frighten me?"

"No." Isaac snapped his fingers, and the chains iced over completely, dropping to the floor, inert. "I outclass you."

"Heh…don't be so quick to judge your opponent…" Black Andromeda's chains began to vibrate—and then changed entirely. "_Black Fang Nebula!_" Casting off the ice, they transformed into a swarm of serpents, leaping at Isaac once more. They encircled his body, fangs clamping onto him.

"Gah…" Isaac sank to one knee as the snakes crushed inwards, biting deeper. "I admit…I underestimated you…"

"Too late to beg!" Black Andromeda laughed. "They'll drain the life from you in seconds!"

"…but…" Isaac continued. "I also have…one technique I have yet to use…"

"Eh?"

With a great effort, Isaac tore one arm free from the serpents' coils, raising it towards the sky and extending a finger. "_Koltso!_" At the single Russian word, a series of rings of light emerged from his finger, each flying down to a black snake and slipping around its neck; once they had all been caught in this manner, the rings pulled away, dragging the snakes off of Isaac's body and holding them in place in the air around him.

_What kind of technique is that…?_ Black Andromeda shook his head. _Anyway, he'll be injured enough from the Black Fang Nebula to…to…_ His train of thought slowed to a halt as he gave Isaac another look. "Wha…aren't you wounded?!"

"Heh." Isaac clenched his upraised hand into a fist, and the rings dissipated with a burst of force, hurling the snakes back towards his foe. "Even the fangs of the Hydra couldn't pierce this Cloth of ice…what chance did your pets have?" The blizzard swirling around the building began to flow inwards, surrounding Isaac's body before concentrating into his fist as he swayed back and forth, briefly forming his body into the Northern Cross of Cygnus before drawing his fist back. "I'll end this now…really, this should have been June or Jabu, but I'll suffice."

Black Andromeda began to back away, withdrawing his snakes and searching for an opening. _He probably can't do that ring attack again while he's preparing this…so, if I strike first— _He lashed out once more. "_Black Fang Nebula!_"

As the serpents approached him again, Isaac's eyes snapped open wide. "_Diamond—" _He thrust his fist forwards, releasing the built-up energy. "DUST!"

Neither the snakes, nor Black Andromeda himself, stood any chance; all were engulfed by the sub-zero blast, frozen solid for but a moment before shattering and blowing away on the chill night wind.

Isaac lowered his arm. _Well…one down._

* * *

Black Cygnus scurried down an alley, keeping his head low and darting from shadow to shadow. _I felt an intense battle…then Black Andromeda's Cosmos disappeared. Damn it! I didn't believe Lord Shun when he warned us how powerful these Bronzes were… _Sensing something, he swerved to a halt, jumping back just in time as Jabu burst through the wall to his right head-first, scattering bricks in his wake, yelling a battle-cry.

"Gh…!" Black Cygnus composed himself, backing away a couple more steps to avoid the last of the falling rubble. "You missed."

"Yeah…" Jabu sighed, rubbing his neck. "I'll do better this time." He jumped high into the air, flipping forwards and bringing his right leg down towards Black Cygnus, his foot beginning to vibrate.

_There it is… _Black Cygnus braced himself, calling up his Cosmos. _His mach-speed kick! _"Come!"

"Yaaah!" Jabu collided with Black Cygnus, feeling the crunch of his impact and rebounding away, kicking off the narrow walls a couple of times as he sped past his opponent, landing behind him, at the mouth of the alley, cracking the ground with his landing. "How's that?"

"Accuracy's better…" Black Cygnus turned, apparently unharmed. "Can't say much for your power."

"What?!" Jabu froze, narrowing his eyes and focusing his vision. _There! _A screen of tiny dark crystals swum into view, surrounding Black Cygnus. _A field of ice, protecting him…that's annoying._

"My turn." Black Cygnus made fists, drawing one back and thrusting the other forwards. "_Black Blizzard!_"

"Aaaagh!" Jabu was swept off his feet and flung back out over the road, gales of biting frost tearing at him. Scowling, he caught hold of a lamp-post and swung up on top of it, watching as Black Cygnus walked out onto the pavement opposite him, smirking. Jabu tensed to spring at him, then paused, wavering and feeling the full extent of his injury. _That attack…stronger than I thought…!_

"Heh." Black Cygnus folded his arms. "I shouldn't have worried. If I were facing Cygnus, Pegasus or Chameleon, I'd be in trouble, but you…"

"Don't look down on me, you…!" Jabu leapt, sailing over the speeding traffic, and Black Cygnus leapt himself to intercept; they met halfway, arms swiping at each other in a confused blur, before landing atop adjacent cars. A moment later, Jabu clutched at his stomach, bending over and gasping. _I hit him too, but…again, that barrier…!_

Black Cygnus grinned. "Is that all you can take, Bronze Saint?"

"I dunno…" Blood dripping from his mouth, Jabu straightened up, his eyes narrowing. "Is that all you can dish out…Black Saint?"

"Bastard—!" Black Cygnus lunged, but Jabu was already on the next car in front, skidding to a stop and jumping back towards him. He swung his arms out, strengthening his barrier. "Fool! You can't hurt me with your strength!"

Declining to reply, Jabu struck the Black Saint directly in the chest with his flying kick, continuing his forwards momentum just slightly and bending his leg before kicking back off his opponent and launching himself directly upwards. Black Cygnus was forced back half a step, grunting. "What are you—"

"Funny thing I noticed!" Jabu said, something savage in his voice. "When I hit your barrier…" He did a quick somersault, keeping his leg extended and angling himself to come back down for a second identical kick. "It weakens, in that small area, for just a second!"

_He knows! _Black Cygnus gave a startled cry, trying to dodge, but couldn't get up to mach speed fast enough. Jabu's second kick struck his chest at the exact same point the first had, tearing through the weakened barrier and smashing his Cloth where it hit. Roaring in pain, Black Cygnus was carried away by the force of the attack,hitting the pavement before rebounding up and through the third-floor window of an office block, crashing inside and coming to a halt amidst empty desks and abandoned cubicles.

He slowly lifted himself off the floor, glaring as Jabu appeared through the broken window and advanced towards him. "You…" Black Cygnus managed, through heavy breaths. "I'll kill—" Just as he began his lunge, his Cloth began to fall away in chunks, before disintegrating completely. _…the hell?! _"There's no way…from just that one hit?"

"Not exactly. Your Cloth was pretty weak already," Jabu explained. "Sure, your barrier stopped my other attacks from connecting…but the shockwaves—sonic booms, some of 'em—were still transferred through the air, directly into your Cloth. That last hit just split the cracks wide open. Now, c'mere!" He ran at Black Cygnus, swinging, but the now-unarmoured youth easily stepped out of the way.

"Heh. I can't take your attacks head-on anymore," Black Cygnus admitted, "but I don't need to…when they're so slow." He continued to dance back out of the way, avoiding dozens of rapid strikes as Jabu tore up the offices around them. "Try harder!" He punctuated this taunt with an uppercut that drove Jabu up through the ceiling, before jumping up through the hole to join him on the floor above.

"Ugh…" Jabu rolled over onto his back, sitting up and coughing. _He's still so powerful…even without his Cloth—_

_That's it!_

Black Cygnus cracked his knuckles. "You made a valiant effort…I'll give you that. But I'm just out of your league…one more Black Blizzard should finish you. You can join your friends, and that rich kid, in hell."

"Rich…kid…?"

"Oh yes…of course you wouldn't know. Here's a treat for you…while you four have been running around the city fighting us, your patron should already be—" Suddenly Jabu was up again, inches away, eyes blazing. "Gah!" He struggled to fend off the next barrage of blows, staggering away under the onslaught. _What's happening?! His Cosmos was never this high before… _"How did you raise your power so quickly?!"

"There's no use explaining…to a fraud like you." Jabu muttered, drawing back. "It's something only a true Saint would understand…but…I'll die a thousand times before you lay a single hand on Miss Saori!" He ducked back in, swinging a right jab; Black Cygnus saw it coming, and was about to dodge when something flew off of Jabu's fist with unexpected speed, striking Black Cygnus in the stomach. He fell away, realising Jabu had detached the straps from his gauntlet, and when he'd punched, it had flown out in front of his fist, striking earlier than expected.

Scarcely a second after he'd realised this, Jabu came barrelling towards him through the air, both feet extended; Black Cygnus reached up and grabbed around his ankles, stopping his charge—until Jabu flipped forwards, revealing he'd also loosened his boots, coming out of them completely and leaving Black Cygnus holding them, Jabu landing a flying elbow strike to his throat. As his enemy found his balance, Jabu landed, not breaking stride and continuing his charge. "This is the final blow, Black Cygnus!"

"As you say!" The Black Saint lashed out with all his power, focusing on Jabu's swinging fist. "_Black Blizzard!" _The ice swirled around the limb, freezing it in place—and Jabu grinned.

_There! I've drawn out his attack…he's over-extended now. _He swung his body backwards, sliding past Black Cygnus and driving a kick upwards into his chin as he went. _You really believed me? Would _my_'final blow' be with anything but my legs? _He rolled to his feet, panting and swaying a little, as behind him, Black Cygnus toppled forwards, hitting the floor and staying there. "I…did it…" he mumbled. "On my own…even though the enemy was much stronger…eheh." He slumped against the wall, watching the ice melt off his arm. _What he said about Saori…an assassin… _He made for the staircase, his legs shaking beneath him. _Gotta…get…to… _He made it another five steps before collapsing. Gritting his teeth, he lifted his head as much as he could manage, dug his fingers into the carpet, and began to drag himself forwards, inch by inch. _This is…nothing!_

* * *

Shun paced his way along the top of a billboard with cat-like grace, scanning the city with discomfort. _Not going well…it'll be a while before I feel up to fighting again, but…I'll see what I can do to even up the odds. _He angled himself towards the hospital, and set off.

* * *

_Inspiration for Jabu's returning jump kick in this chapter courtesy of Kamen Rider V3._

_And if I know the Saint Seiya fandom, I know this question is gonna get asked at some point, so to pre-empt it: I don't really ship anyone with anyone. But nor am I violently opposed to any particular pairings._

_Second question I anticipate being relevant: How long do I intend to carry this on for? Well, I have pretty solid plans for the Silver Saints arc and almost-solid plans for the Sanctuary arc. Beyond that, I have a few scattered ideas for what I want to do for Poseidon, Hades and the post-Hades arc that Next Dimension is currently covering (which in itself could be considered two parallel storylines; the 18th-century Hades stuff, and the 20th-century stuff with the Olympians and the Angels and all that)._

_Although with some of the stuff I have in mind, the boundaries between those last three arcs may get a little blurred…_

_(I mean, you've already seen a little bit of foreshadowing for Poseidon and Artemis in previous chapters.)_


	9. Chapter 9: Never Alone

**Chapter 9: Never Alone**

_Some wonderfully hammy dialogue towards the end of this chapter. I mean…this _is _Saint Seiya, y'know._

* * *

"Hey!" Seiya called out, moving slowly through the derelict house. "You suck at hiding your Cosmos!"

"Or maybe I wanted you to follow me…so I could face you alone!" a familiar voice sneered.

Seiya leapt back as something smashed into the floor beside him, splintering the wooden boards. "Yeah, I thought it was you…Black Pegasus. You doing the whole 'destined rivals' thing, I guess?"

"Something like that…" The Black Saint stood. "I heard you received special training at Sanctuary…show me."

Seiya didn't reply, growing serious. _After what his attack did to Nachi…can't let it hit me, even once. _Black Pegasus lunged, and Seiya strained his senses, focusing on the incoming limb. _It's not the Black Ryuseiken…okay! _He leaned in, letting the blow hit home on his chest and using the position to get a clean shot at Black Pegasus' chin, staggering him away. Following up, Seiya took hold of his stunned opponent and hurled himself off to the side, the pair of them crashing through the wall and into the next room, scattering furniture as they rolled apart.

"Fine…fine…" Black Pegasus muttered, rocking back on his heels and drawing back his arm. "_Black—"_

"…oh man." Seiya sprang back, trying to evade the attack, but nowhere near in time.

"—_Ryu Sei Ken!"_

_No way I'm dodging all those…but if it hits…damn it! _Seiya braced himself as the hundred streams of dark light rushed at him.

The blows never landed—they stopped halfway to their target in a flurry of impacts, June landing between the fighters, the end of her whip caught around Black Pegasus' outstretched wrist. "Seiya…let me take this one."

"Uh…thanks," Seiya breathed, relaxing slightly.

"I'm more suited to countering this kind of attack. But you need to hurry…I sense two large Cosmos clashing—Isaac and Black Dragon."

"Isaac can handle himself, right?"

She shook her head. "I ran into him before…the Dragon isn't like the other Black Saints. Even Isaac, one-one-one...I don't know. Go!"

"R-Right!" Seiya gave a small salute and rushed out the building, leaving June alone with her opponent.

Black Pegasus pulled away, freeing his hand. "Think you can stop my attack when it's headed straight for you?"

"Now I've observed it…absolutely." June retracted her weapon, waiting for his next move.

"HAH!" The Black Saint lunged, going straight for his signature technique.

June kept her unwavering focus, parrying each one with a precisely-targeted lash before it could get anywhere near her. However, right as she stopped the last meteoric blow, Black Pegasus appeared beside her, taking hold of her whip near the handle and kicking her in the stomach, throwing her back through another wall and tearing the weapon from her hands. He tossed it aside, making fists again. "Try blocking now!"

_He knew I could block his attack…just a ruse to disarm me…_ She crawled back against the wall, trying to catch her breath as he drew back his arm.

"For real this time!" he shouted, moving to the attack. "_Black Ryu—_aaagh!" He stumbled, his hand flinching away from its intended course as something stabbed through it—the needle-sharp spike previously protruding from the headband of June's Cloth as decoration, now used as a makeshift projectile weapon.

In his moment of hesitation, she sprang, twisting his right arm to reveal an unarmoured section and smashing her elbow into it from above and her knee from below, cracking the bone. _That's his main weapon neutralised… _She dodged a clumsy counterattack, pain throwing Black Pegasus' aim off, and put a straight punch directly into his jaw, dropping him.

She retrieved the Cloth-piece she'd thrown and her whip, replacing both. _There's a lesson here…I need a technique I can use unarmed. That was far too close._

* * *

Isaac hit the deck of a docked boat, gritting his teeth as pain shot up his arm—once again, he'd been slightly too slow to dodge. _Damn it…!_

"What's wrong, Cygnus?" Black Dragon's voice called from the shadows. "You're slowing down."

Isaac declined to reply, tilting his head slightly at the words. _Yes…definitely something off…_

Another explosive burst of Cosmos raced at him, tearing through the boat—Isaac leapt back out over the water, freezing it beneath him to create a platform in the middle of the bay. He landed on his feet, feeling his strength starting to wane. _Have to go on the offensive… _He began to turn in place, firing off gales of frozen air as he went and freezing solid whole swathes of the docks.

Black Dragon's laugh echoed over to him. "You still haven't touched me, Cygnus! Try laying eyes on me just once!" There was a metallic scraping signifying the Black Saint leaping out over the water towards Isaac.

_Can't see more than a few feet out here…don't know which direction he's coming from…but I don't need to. _Isaac flicked two fingers up, signalling a great rumbling from all around them. "I wasn't just flailing around with my previous attacks, you know...are you familiar with the concept of depth charges?"

"Damn—!" came Black Dragon's cry as a shard of ice, one of hundreds, shot out of the water, clipping him and sending him tumbling out of his planned jumping arc. He floundered as he hit the surface with a loud splash, giving away his position.

Isaac gave a triumphant shout. "There you are! I can finally attack you. But first…" Isaac ducked a fist that swiped at him from behind, rising and repelling this new attacker with a quick, explosive expansion of his Cosmos. "…I think I'd rather strike your ally."

Black Dragon gasped. "Brother!"

"He won't be interfering any longer," Isaac said. "Your blind brother…your 'eyes' in the darkness, telling you your enemy's location—and pretending to be you to throw off your enemies. That's why you've always been fighting in the dark…you cut the power to the Coliseum when you attacked…"

"Heh…well done." Black Dragon pulled himself up onto Isaac's ice-platform, shaking the water out of his lengthy hair. "I guess I'll have to fight fair."

_His concern for his brother didn't last long… _Isaac noted. "Let's see how weak you are on your own." _Running close to my limit…better make this quick. _He drew back his right arm. "_Aurora_—" In the time it took Isaac to blink, Black Dragon's afterimage was fading, and he now stood at Isaac's side, a dark mass of Cosmos blazing around him.

Isaac froze. _I…couldn't follow that at all…!_

* * *

Seiya's sprint, frequently crossing the sound barrier, had taken him halfway across the city, back towards the docks; he arrived just to see an explosion of power from halfway across the bay. A few seconds later, Black Dragon landed in front of him, dumping the unconscious Isaac on the ground between them. "That's how weak I am on my own, Cygnus. Since you were wondering." He raised his head, grinning at Seiya. "Another one so soon? Fine with me. Just you and Chameleon left, and I'll have cleaned up."

Seiya returned the expression. "Funny…I was just about to say something like that. You and Shun are all that's left…I guess you'll make a good warm-up for fighting him."

"You're as confident as Cgynus was…he shouldn't have tried to take me on after using up so much energy on my brother."

"You're saying he should've run?"

"Well, live to fight another day and all that."

"Not gonna happen… we're all fighting for each other, not just ourselves."

"Oh? Is this that thing you call 'friendship'? Or is it 'companionship'?"

"You wouldn't understand."

"No, I wouldn't." Black Dragon chuckled. "Come at me."

"All right, you ask for it, you get it—_Thunder Claw!_" Seiya let fly his hundred blows, arcs of energy streaking for Black Dragon—who shot off to the left, a couple of glancing hits rebounding off his shoulder and arm guards. He blurred into motion again, and a sudden impact doubled Seiya over.

"Is that all your Mach speed can do?" Black Dragon laughed.

Seiya raised his head, still smiling. "I dunno…you tell me."

At this, Black Dragon gasped, falling to one knee, a stream of blood running down his arm. _What?! There was a blow I didn't see…I thought I'd analysed his attack when I observed him before—I'm sure wasn't this fast! But…after all this fighting… _His eyes widened. _Is it possible…that every time he launches his Thunder Claw, Seiya's skill improves a little?!_

"Stand up," Seiya said, catching his breath. "I'm not done with you."

"Heh." Black Dragon placed one hand on the ground. "Don't mistake a single hit for anything more." He gave a shove, speeding out of sight again—the next thing Seiya knew, something struck him from behind, knocking him forwards and into the water. _That little improvement won't be enough to bridge the gap between us…_

Seiya surfaced, fighting for air and clawing at the bank—only to see Black Dragon crouching there, one hand held out and glowing with power. Upon release, it slammed into Seiya, carrying him up and through the air, high over the docks. Black Dragon leapt after him, kicking him back down to earth, Seiya landing hard on the shore at the other side of the bay. He sat up, head spinning—and Black Dragon was already standing over him, striking again.

This time, though, the Black Saint's hand glanced off something metallic. Seiya's vision cleared, and he saw a new figure between them, half-shrouded in some kind of mist. _Is that…can't be…_

"Shiryu?!" He reached desperately for the apparition, but it faded as quickly as it had appeared. The mist vanished, leaving a Clothbox between the two fighters, a small indentation on one side showing where it had stopped Black Dragon's attack.

"What…was that…?" Black Dragon stammered. "Wh-Who delivered that? Don't tell me…" He paled. "Shiryu's…spirit…"

"…no." Seiya stood by the Clothbox, his face suddenly serene. "What we just saw…what I destroyed…was just the form he took when he was born in this era. That wasn't _him_." He tugged open the box, revealing the Dragon Cloth, gleaming with vitality it had never shown before. Seiya placed his hand on the Cloth, feeling its living warmth, energy flowing from it and revitalising his weary body. "Shiryu's soul…is in here!"

_N-No! _Black Dragon shrank back further into the shadows. "But for you…his killer…"

"I did something terrible, it's true," Seiya said, tears forming even as he smiled. "But I'm working, every minute of every day, to atone for it!" He glanced down at the glowing Dragon Cloth. "Shiryu believes in me, even now…that's the 'friendship' you can't understand, Black Dragon! It's a bond that surpasses the boundary of life and death!"

"Heh…you get quite poetic when you're worked up…come, then!"

Seiya nodded at this challenge, moving to meet Black Dragon's charge. "One more time!" His arm blurred into motion. "_Pegasus Thunder Claw!_"

"It'll be just like before!" Black Dragon snarled, raising his shield to block the oncoming hits. However, something was different from last time. _This…this Cosmos is—!_ Seiya's attack smashed his guard aside, myriad impacts puncturing his body and throwing him back, repelling his advance.

Seiya skidded to a halt behind the faltering Black Dragon, right arm extended, sweating heavily. "Thank you…Shiryu—ugh!" He sank to one knee, coughing up blood.

Black Dragon straightened up, still facing away from him. "You didn't think I'd get at least one hit in with your hundred flying all over the place? Give me some credit…I'm not like those other amateurs you fought." He unhooked the straps about his wrist, letting his ruined shield fall to the ground. "I'll give you credit…you've brought your power up equal to mine. But you've already taken too much damage…this fight is mine."

"Yeah?!" Seiya growled, rising and spinning in one motion—Black Dragon was inches away, another blast already charged and prepared.

"Yeah." He fired, Seiya diving out of the way by a matter of milliseconds, landing shakily at the edge of the docks. Black Dragon raised his hand to try again, but had to jump back as another Saint came charging past—Jabu, clearly on his last legs, yelling an incoherent battle-cry. "Unicorn…you're alive?"

"Who the hell do you take me for? 'Course I am!" Jabu spat. "I don't know exactly what happened…but your assassination attempt on Miss Saori failed. So…I came to where the action was. Having trouble, Seiya?" he jeered, calling over his shoulder to his comrade.

"Shove it, Jabu!" Seiya called back, rising again.

Jabu frowned. _Still…this guy beat Isaac, and now Seiya's having trouble…this one's bad news. Can't take him straight-up, even if I was at 100%, but maybe… _He gritted his teeth and ran straight at Black Dragon. _…oh, this is gonna hurt._

"Heh." Black Dragon shrugged, raising one hand, fingers extended to slash. "No helping some fools…but sure, if you're so eager to die, I can oblige you."

"Jabu, wait!" Seiya shouted, too far behind to stop it. "He's too strong—"

Black Dragon's hand piercing Jabu's chest made a splintering sound as his fingers punched a hole through the weakened Unicorn Cloth, then a wet one as they slid through flesh and muscle. Jabu came to a halt, suppressing a scream—but at the same time, his own hands shot up, gripping Black Dragon around the waist. "Seiya…attack now!"

"W…What?"

"I can't hold him still for long!" he yelled. "Hurry! Finish it!"

"But with you in the way—"

"Don't be stupid!" Jabu insisted. "If you lose here, we're all screwed, right? _Do it!_"

"…all right." Seiya began to run at them, increasing speed as he approached. _All right, you stupid bastard. You damn hero._

"W…Why?!" Black Dragon snarled, trying in vain to pull away. "What's the point…if you won't live to see the result?"

Jabu stared up at the Black Saint, his eyes clear. "It's not something you'd understand," he said quietly.

"_Pegasus_—" Seiya's Cosmos intensified as he neared the pair, preparing to attack.

Jabu closed his eyes. _Saori…everything for— _He was taken aback when, instead of a deadly blow piercing his back, Seiya's arms looped under his own, the Pegasus Saint tensing to spring with all his accumulated momentum.

"—_Rolling Crush!" _Seiya hurled himself and Jabu skywards, tearing his ally free of Black Dragon. "I'm not gonna kill any more friends," he said forcefully.

They arced up through the air, beginning to head back down towards Black Dragon, building up momentum again. "Okay, genius, what now?" Jabu muttered.

"Think you've got one good kick left in you?" Seiya asked.

Jabu grinned. "Just point me in the right direction."

* * *

Tatsumi was staring out the window, a puzzled air about him. "What is that…? A shooting star? No, two…"

Saori didn't need to look, giving a broad smile. "Those are my Saints."

* * *

As they neared their target, Seiya released Jabu, shoving him downwards with all the strength he could muster, twisting his body to avoid landing on his head; meanwhile, Jabu cannoned into Black Dragon with both feet, driving him into the ground in a shower of metal shards.

When the noise had settled down, Seiya dragged the groaning Jabu out of the wreckage, checking his wound. _Not too deep…his Cloth saved him._

There came a lurching, scraping sound—Black Dragon, pulling himself up and unsteadily approaching them.

Seiya froze. _Even after that…?! What is he made of…_

_They've only just been reunited after years apart…and their teamwork already surpasses that of my brother and myself… _Black Dragon bowed his head, his legs giving way beneath him. "I think…I finally understand this 'friendship' of yours…but…" He hit the floor face-first, losing consciousness. "…a little too late…"

"Okay…I'm done for today…" Jabu mumbled after a few seconds of silence. "Seiya…get after Shun…knock some sense into him for me, 'kay?"

"And leave you here?"

Jabu snorted. "Well obviously come pick me up afterwards, dumbass! But the battle's not over yet…get going!"

"R...Right!" Seiya stood, taking a deep breath. "I'll be back—_with _Shun!"

* * *

_We're getting there now. Sorry for the time it took to get this one out…one of my other stories is ending in a couple weeks, this should come much faster after that!_


	10. Chapter 10: Phoenix Ascendant

**Chapter 10: Phoenix Ascendant**

_Hey, so I found a song that fits Saint Seiya pretty well—Hoshizora no Message (A Starry Sky's Message), the ending theme from the show Uchuu Keiji Gavan (roughly 'Space Sheriff Gavan')._

* * *

Seiya jogged down the main street, traffic still roaring past even at midnight. _Jabu and Isaac are both back at the docks…Shun's gonna be tough to beat, hope June finds him 'round when I do—ah!_

A powerful, violent Cosmos had suddenly flared up at the centre of the city. _Definitely Shun…he must be calling us out. Challenge or trap, though?_

_Whichever, can't let this chance go. _He swung around to face the distant power, sprinting off towards it. _Damn, this is exhausting…been running around the city all night…next time I fight somebody, they're all gonna have to come to _me.

* * *

It wasn't hard to track Shun; aside from the signal he'd sent out, the ten-foot wall of flame blocking off a block's worth of the main road was a fairly safe bet. Fire trucks swarmed around the affected area, pouring on water to no avail. Seiya ducked between them, slipping up to the fire unnoticed and diving through, emerging mostly unscathed—as a result of spreading his power over such a large area, Shun had only been able to create a barrier strong enough to keep normal humans out.

The fire-encircled area was almost barren, the air heavy and with stifling heat. Shun stood in the centre of the road in his Phoenix Cloth, facing away from Seiya, flames lapping about his feet.

"This is the last time!" Seiya called over to him. "Wherever all this hate comes from…I'm gonna crush it!"

Shun gave a short, hollow laugh. "It had to be like this...yes, it had to be you and me, didn't it?"

"I'm not the only one of us still up and around," Seiya said. "It's not just—"

Shun shook his head. "Chameleon won't get here in time. I've seen to that."

"Afraid to fight us both at once?"

"You know that isn't true," he answered. "I could take three of you, easy. But neither she nor Cygnus particularly interests me…my main feud is with my brothers, and I can't have any interruptions."

"Brothers?" Seiya raised an eyebrow. "Last I checked, you only had the one."

"You'll understand when you're older," Shun said with a cruel smile.

"Ugh, whatever." Seiya paused. "But…what exactly did you _do _to slow her down?"

"It was right around when you were starting to pick off my Black Saints…I decided to, I guess you'd say, even up the odds."

* * *

June made the leap to the next rooftop, heading towards Shun's distant Cosmos—and was immediately tackled out of the air by a large, heavy figure. They fell towards the alley below, bouncing painfully from one wall to the other before hitting the ground hard, rolling apart with a chorus of pained groans.

She sprang up as soon as she was able, readying herself to fight—and was confronted with the terrified face of the Lionet Saint, Ban. "You're…? Why did you—"

"You gotta help me," he mumbled, his features stark with fear. "They…they're everywhere, I…help me, they're all…right behind—they're—"

"Calm down!" she snapped, reaching for him.

He flinched away, almost shrieking. "No…no, no! You're one of _them_, aren't you?!"

"What the hell are you talking about?" _He's gone completely mad…_

"I won't…I won't—you can't—!" he yelled, lunging at her. She dodged back, his hands almost brushing her.

_This—! He wasn't this fast when Jabu beat him…you hear about 'strength borne of madness', I guess this is it… _She continued to retreat, keeping up intense focus to anticipate his lightning-fast strikes. _And those eyes…whatever he's seeing, it isn't the real world. Some kind of illusion…did the Phoenix do this?_

_Just what is he capable of…?_

* * *

"I had some time to kill," Shun said with a shrug, finishing his explanation. "So I stopped by the hospital. Lionet was relatively uninjured, especially compared to Hydra, Wolf or Bear, so…"

"But you didn't kill them," Seiya said quietly, almost more to himself than to Shun.

"…what?"

"You didn't kill them, right? Ichi, Nachi, Geki…they probably weren't even conscious. It would've been easy. But you left them."

"What are you trying to say?" Shun snarled. "I was focused on defeating the enemies still standing, not slaughtering invalids! It wasn't what I was there for!"

"You couldn't bring yourself to do it!" Seiya yelled, pointing directly at the Phoenix Saint. "And this isn't the first time you've shown me…you're not completely lost, Shun!" He started forwards, drawing back his arm.

"Silence!" Shun bellowed, gathering fiery energy between his hands. He brought it around just in time to meet Seiya's light-wreathed fist, their Cosmos warring against each other for a moment before Phoenix's light overcame Pegasus'.

Seiya landed on his back, crying out involuntarily. _So strong…!_

"What?" Shun jeered. "I hope you didn't think I needed the Gold Cloth to beat you. Or have you already forgotten our first fight?"

"Damn it…!" Seiya rose, trying to collect his thoughts. His first instinct was to charge back in and try the same thing again, hoping to do better. _But Shaina…you taught me better than that. Rushing him head-on won't work..._

He made as if to strike another direct blow—then swung down, striking the ground at a steep angle and sending a spray of dirt and gravel up between them, blocking Shun's line of sight.

The moment he'd done this, he swerved on his heel, dashing around behind Shun and reaching for him. Shun detected his approach at the last second, jumping high into the air to avoid the two-handed grab.

"The Rolling Crush you created in our second fight," he muttered, landing behind Seiya and skidding away. "You're much weaker than me, but if you got the chance to use _that _technique…" He shrugged. "Well, all I have to do is not let you get behind me. Simple enough."

Seiya turned, scowling. _So close…_

"You look surprised!" Shun laughed, leaping back in to attack. "You thought you could outwit me? Please!" He darted right and left, easily dodging the hundreds of blows Seiya sent his way to try and stop his advance. "I've outplayed the lot of you at every turn! You've played into every one of my ambushes!" He ducked in under Seiya's guard, rising from his crouch with an uppercut that hurled the Pegasus Saint away through the air. "The only reason any of you are still alive is dumb luck and persistence!"

* * *

Saori sensed the flow of the fight turning against Seiya, both her hands pressed to the window as rain began to batter down on the city. She reached out with her mind, feeling for the Gold Cloth's presence.

_Sagittarius…they're fighting for you._

_Why do you not help him? It is within your power._

_Is he not your chosen?_

…

_No? But that would mean…_

_Is Seiya...?_

* * *

Seiya hit the ground again, Shun digging his boot in a few times for good measure. "Well?" he sneered. "What were you going to crush?" He stamped down again—but this time, Seiya caught his foot, tugging it downwards.

With Shun tumbling down towards him, Seiya brought up his free hand, striking directly upwards. "_Thunder Claw!_"

"Rrgh!" Shun crossed his arms in front of his face, staggering away several steps under the wave of power before shoving outwards, shattering the attack. "Not enough…!"

_Crazy… _Seiya remained where he was, panting. _Even the Thunder Claw that got through Black Dragon's defences…is useless against him… _He looked up as Shun approached. "Don't suppose rain is your secret weakness?"

"Heh." Shun struck out again, knocking Seiya clean through a parked car and into the wall behind. "Now, how should I finish you…let my flames consume you? Destroy your mind? Or just beat you to death?"

"Come…get me…" Seiya slurred, deliberately sounding more tired than he was, making a show of trying and failing to stand. _His only weakness…one of the things I'm trying to beat out of him…it's his arrogance. If he thinks he's won…_

"Wait for me in hell, Seiya!" Shun spat, surging forwards and bringing his fist down heavily—but at the last moment, Seiya shook off his feigned exhaustion, jerking to the left and just avoiding the stone-shattering blow; Shun instinctively kicked out, but from this angle it wasn't at anything near full power, and Seiya was able to vault over it, pushing up off of the extended limb to swing his own kick up at the back of Shun's head.

Still off-guard and acting on instinct, Shun ducked forwards to avoid this, realising too late that he'd exposed his back. _No—_

Seiya locked his arms in place under Shun's. "_Pegasus—Rolling—Crush!_" At this last word, he launched them both skywards, his Cosmos surrounding the pair of them.

They soared ever higher, surpassing the rooftops of the towering office blocks surrounding them for a brief moment, before cresting their arc and plummeting back towards the ground.

He let go a few metres from impact, letting his accumulated energy remain with Shun, detonating as the Phoenix Saint hit the ground, Seiya rolling away and turning back to observe his handiwork.

Shun lay in a crater six feet wide and about half that deep, struggling to lift himself off the ground. "H…How…no…" His eyes grew savage. "…no! I won't lose like this!"

He threw himself back at Seiya, who moved to intercept him—their attacks met in a burst of light, throwing them both back. They stood glaring at each other for a few seconds, before Shun gasped, sinking to one knee, his already-cracked Cloth almost shattering completely, large chunks falling away and leaving him nearly unarmoured.

"Give it up, Shun," Seiya said wearily. "Come back to us."

Shun was silent for quite a while. "I want to," he finally said, his voice pained. "I do. But this thing, this hate, it's eating at me. It's killing me," he rasped. "It won't stop…until it's all burnt away. All of you, everything that made me…"

"Calm down!" Seiya called, approaching slowly, his hands held out. "I can help you. Come on. We were friends for so long…"

"Friends. Heh." Shun shook his head. "Right, none of you know yet…"

"What?" Seiya frowned. _And…there was something he said earlier…damn it, with all this fighting I can't even remember… _"What are you trying to say?"

Shun seemed to have stopped paying attention to him, and was staring up into the night sky, feeling the rain on his face. "Can I stop?" he whispered. "He beat me…right? Is it over? I…don't want to…" His words trailed off as a fresh storm of fire whipped itself up around his body, focusing in on him and solidifying until it formed plates of glowing metal—the Phoenix Cloth reborn.

Seiya flinched back. "What the…" _Oh! Just like the mythical phoenix…reborn from the ashes…_

"No…it's not over yet?" Shun gave a sigh, sounding immensely sad, lowering his gaze, his eyes hardening as he took up a fighting stance. "Prepare yourself, Seiya."

"Still not letting me help?" Seiya gathered all the strength he had left, advancing again—but Shun easily deflected him with a one-armed sweep.

"Sorry, Seiya…but freshly-revived, I'm at the peak of my strength. You were outmatched before, and you're in worse shape now." He brought one hand up, extending his index finger. "I'll let you experience what I've been through…I'll show you hell, like I did to Lionet!"

"We all went through hell to get here!" Seiya snapped, pushing himself up. "You're the only one who ended up like this!"

Lacking a reply to this, Shun pounced at Seiya, his finger lashing out. "_Phoenix—Genma Ken!_" He made a straight course for Seiya's forehead, trailing a miniscule beam of light in his wake—before being wrenched off-course, stumbling past his opponent with a surprised yelp.

He glanced down, seeing what had diverted his attack—June's whip, snared about his forearm. She now crouched a few feet away, Ban unconscious and carried over her shoulder.

"I'm sorry…Seiya…" she panted, releasing her weapon and putting a hand to the ground to steady herself. "He fought…like he was possessed…" She fell forwards, gasping. "Damn it…this is all I can do…"

Seiya took a moment to compose himself, turning back to Shun. "That's right…not just June…Isaac, Jabu…Saori, Nachi…Shiryu…after everything we've been through…" He slid one foot back, resting a fist at his side and raising the other hand high above his head. "…letting them down…is out of the question!"

"Fine words…it's really a shame you can't back them up." Shun gathered his power for another attack. _I could just try the Genma Ken again…but especially with a miss like that, it's possible he was able to analyse it, and identify some weakness…if he is a true Saint…_

_Well, better err on the side of caution. I have more than one way to end this fight. _"All right, Seiya," he said, gathering twin orbs of flame around his hands, "looks I'm destroying your body instead of your mind."

"That…kind of covers both, I feel," Seiya muttered. The only answer he received, as Shun let the barrage fly, was—

"PHOENIX STORM!"

Seiya disappeared inside the burning wall, Shun stepping back and laughing to himself. "You did well…much better than I would have thought…but it's—"

"—'over'?" came Seiya's voice from behind the inferno. "That what you were gonna say?" A second later, he came barrelling through the fires, battering them aside with something on his arm—the Dragon Shield.

"That's…!" Shun hissed, but got no further before Seiya tackled him to the ground, leading with the shield, the impossibly-durable object driving hard into his stomach. Shun stumbled up and away, and Seiya pursued him.

_Gotta strike while he's off-guard…before he regains his advantage… _He hurriedly loosened the straps on the Dragon Shield, letting it slide off his arm and taking a two-handed grip on the now-dangling straps—then spun a full circle, bringing the heavy shield around and building up momentum before smashing it directly into Shun's jaw.

"Kuh—" Shun fell away, trailing blood from his mouth.

_Now! _Seiya stepped up, discarding the shield and bringing his arms up parallel to each other. _This'll be my only shot before he recovers…have to hit him hard enough to put him down for good—if I just damage his Cloth it'll regenerate again._

_So…the two sides of me…the executioner and the human…please, work together for once! Give me strength! _"This is it, Shun! I'm doing this for you…_Pegasus—Thunder Claw!_"

Arcs of lightning leapt forth from his leading hand, encircling Shun and carrying him away through the air, wracking his body from head to toe, hurling him back against the opposite building; he bounced off the wall, falling several stories and hitting the ground face-first, setting off car alarms for several blocks around.

Shun rolled over onto his back, coughing blood and giving a weak groan, the barrier he'd set up around his battleground finally flickering out and dying. Seiya staggered over and collapsed into a sitting position next to him.

"That…power…wasn't like before…" Shun muttered.

"Even if you had some lackeys tagging along…you were really fighting alone, the whole time," Seiya said wearily, leaning back. "I have so many strong friends and allies to keep me going…but I guess most of all, the friend I was fighting for was you."

_Still… _He glanced over at where he'd left the Dragon Shield, searching it out with his eyes. _Where did that come from? I thought I sensed Shiryu's life-force passing on when it delivered the Dragon Cloth before…so who could have—huh? _He couldn't find it; the shield was gone. "What…?"

* * *

On an overlooking rooftop, the shield's bearer returned it to its place on the Dragon Cloth's statue form, closing the Clothbox and hoisting it onto his back; he gave the battlefield a final perusal before turning to leave.

* * *

"Heh…if that's the case," Shun said, giving an oddly warm smile, "it wasn't friendship, Seiya…it was love for a brother."

"And this again…" Seiya began to put together Shun's earlier hints. "Wait…are you serious?!"

"And that's only half of it…" Shun gave a quiet laugh. "I was wrong about you, Seiya…all of you, I think. I'll tell you everything, but…when we're out of danger."

Seiya frowned. "Danger? Shun, the battle's over."

Shun sighed. "All these years, and you're still not very attentive…" he trailed off. "They're here. _Get down!_"

Seiya did so, half a second before the entire city block exploded.

* * *

_For the benefit of those who haven't read it—in the manga, the Black Saints arc and most of the Silver Saints arc take place _on the same night.

_So yeah. Things are about to get _fun_._


	11. Chapter 11: Bronze vs Silver

**Chapter 11: Bronze vs. Silver**

_Fun fact: The English DVD release for the canon version of this arc is titled "Silver Linings", and the next one "Golden Opportunities."_

_Ugh. Saint Seiya just cannot catch a break when it comes to English adaptations, can it?_

* * *

A low rumble awakened Seiya as the rubble covering him was hauled away, letting in the cool night air; a moment later, a pair of hands hauled him up out of the wreckage.

"C'mon!" June barked, setting him down on his feet and shaking him until his eyes fully opened. "We need to get moving…whoever attacked us probably thinks we're dead. Let's get out of here and keep it that way."

"Wait…" he mumbled, taking a step back from her. "Where's Shun? He was…"

"He can take care of himself!" she insisted, putting a hand on his arm to stop him running back. "There's no time!"

"There were probably people in those buildings…some of them might still be alive, we should—"

"Actually, nobody around but four renegade Bronze Saints," came a voice from behind. "I cleared the area first…I'm told I'm quite fast. I prefer to avoid unnecessary casualties when I can…"

A tall, red-haired man stood atop the pile of broken concrete, arms folded, looking down at them. His blue-tinted armour, though sparse, shone with a vibrancy that put theirs to shame, and a high-collared cape hung about his shoulders.

"Who are you?!" Seiya demanded. "What's your problem, attacking us outta nowhere like that?"

"I have a suspicion," June said, still rubbing her head. "I warned you Sanctuary wouldn't be happy with what's been going here…they sent Isaac to stop you already…"

The man nodded. "But not only did Cygnus fail, he joined you in your self-indulgent circus-show. And now the situation's got even more out of hand…Phoenix dragged the Black Saints into this mess." His eyes narrowed. "You've made a mockery of Sainthood with your petty infighting…and my comrades and I will wipe your stain from our history!"

He jumped down off the rubble, facing them and indicating himself with a sweep of his arm, his cape billowing out behind him. "Silver Saint: Aquila Toma!" Now he was closer, his face more distinct, they noticed something odd—he looked eerily like an older Seiya.

"Silver…Saint…" June mouthed. She shoved Seiya away, standing straight. "Seiya, run! I'll slow him down!"

"But—"

She shot him a terrified glance. "_Run!_"

The next second, Toma was between them, jerking them back by their collars. "A brave gesture…unexpected, I'll admit. Futile, though."

"Grh—!" Seiya jumped away, June following. "You said something about comrades…how many of you are there?" she asked.

"A full five-man squad," Toma explained with a shrug. "And a second in reserve. Really, it's unnecessary…I could probably clean up by myself, but the Pope wants you eradicated, and he does like his overkill."

"These orders…they're directly from the Pope?!" Seiya shook his head. "That can't be right…when I earned my Cloth…the Pope I saw was a kind and just man…"

"So he is," Toma replied. "And now his justice is being enacted on you, criminals. I'll make this quick…we're also under orders to investigate the claims of a Gold Cloth being involved…" He pointed to them each in turn. "You have only one path now—death by my hand. I suggest you at least face it with dignity."

"Please, listen!" June stepped in front of Seiya, stopping him as he prepared to lunge. "These battles aren't what they seem. The situation is more complicated—"

"It is not," Toma said simply. "The law has been broken. The decision has been made. I am but the instrument of Sanctuary…you cannot negotiate with me any more than you can bargain with a sword or a bullet."

"Fine. Then…" June sighed. "Before I die, though, let me say this." She took a deep breath. "_Now, Seiya!_"

She was already moving as she spoke, dropping close to the ground to give Seiya a clear shot, her leg snaking out to trip Toma.

Seiya saw the opportunity and took it, throwing what strength he had left into his right arm. "_Thunder Claw!_"

As the bolts neared Toma, however, they were swept away with an upwards swing of his arm, blurring out and catching each strike in turn. At the same time, he turned his leg to catch June's, intercepting her attack.

"Clever," he said, shoving them away. "Quick thinking, indeed…but comparing a Silver Saint to a Bronze is like comparing the sun to a matchstick. Even at your best, you're barely exceeding Mach 1…a Silver Saint's speed starts at Mach 2—as a bare minimum. Some of us can reach over twice that…"

_And he did destroy all those buildings…his power must be…! _Seiya backed away. "Uh…June, any more plans?"

"It's your turn," she mumbled.

"Actually, I believe it's mine." A faint blue light surrounded Toma's right hand. "Try and follow this…_Ryu Sei Ken!_"

What appeared to be a barrage of shooting stars slammed into Toma's opponents, hurling them away through the air; he advanced slowly towards them as they tried to pick themselves up.

"This strength…is crazy…" June hissed. "Even Shun wasn't like this…"

"Yeah," Seiya agreed. "The only other person I've ever met…who was at this kind of level, was—"

"Shaina!" Toma blurted out.

Seiya paused, blinking a couple of times. "Uh…yeah. My teacher, Shaina. How'd you know—" He finally heard the footsteps behind him, realised what Toma had meant. "—oh uh right okay yeah."

"What the hell are you doing here?!" Toma snapped. "Squad 2 hasn't been ordered to mobilise yet!" He folded his arms. "And they won't be, at that. We have everything under control."

Shaina gave a short laugh. "Do you? I wonder." There was a hiss of movement, and she was behind him; a tremendous impact followed, and Toma went flying into the remains of the nearest building. "From one Silver Saint to another," Shaina said, lowering her leg, "you're far too confident—you let your guard down too easily."

"Sh-Shaina!" Seiya sprung to his feet, running up to his teacher. "I'm so glad you—"

"I'm with the second execution squad," Shaina said bluntly. "They don't know I'm here, but in any case…what makes you think I came to save you? Maybe I just wanted to kill you myself."

_She would, too… _"I-If that's the case…" Seiya managed a bow. "Then please fight me without holding back! I don't want to die with regrets!"

"And you?" Shaina turned her unreadable gaze on June. "Will you fight to the last?"

"In the past few days…" June said, wearily making her way over to them, "I have seen unimaginable bravery and kindness from this young man. I am proud to call him friend, and it would be an honour to die by his side."

Shaina gave them both a silent stare, before finally answering. "You've satisfied me…you're not the type to fight without cause. The charges are false…you both get to live."

"Even if it means going against Sanctuary?" Seiya asked.

"I obey the law," Shaina replied. "If someone higher-ranked than me chooses to disregard it…if all of Sanctuary throws it out…then naturally, I will come into conflict with them. But the _ideals_ of Sanctuary, of Athena…I will never stray an inch from them."

_Seiya spent six years with _her_ as a teacher? _June thought. _She's pretty intense…I'm surprised he survived._

"Now, I'll get the two of you to safety, then we can form a plan," Shaina said, turning towards where Toma was digging himself out. "But give me a moment…I have to beat down a dog who can't tell the letter of the law from the spirit."

She and Toma vanished, moving faster than the Bronzes could see for a few seconds, circling each other before dashing in, readying their attacks and firing simultaneously—

"_Thunder Claw!_"

"_Ryu Sei Ken!_"

There was an explosion of power between the clashing Silver Saints, and the shockwaves rolled over Seiya and June, both of them losing consciousness—as their vision faded, they caught the hazy image of a great shining eagle, wrestling with an enormous serpent.

* * *

Isaac and Jabu had also been confronted by a cloaked figure in silver—this one blond and hauntingly beautiful. "Greetings," he said, walking across the bay towards them, his feet always suspended a few inches from the water. "My name is Lizard Misty, and I'll be your executioner for today. If you do not wish for me to kill you, then you may kill yourself now." He paused. "No? I see. Well, you had your chance."

"So, you're my replacement," Isaac said with a small laugh. "Sanctuary are taking this seriously." His smile vanished. "Get to the Coliseum, Jabu. Get everyone out, find them somewhere to hide. There'll be more assassins—probably in the city already."

"And you'll meet up with us, right?"

Isaac grimaced. "Jabu, I don't think I can defeat this man. Even if I was rested and uninjured, and I'm far from either of those."

"I can't just leave you to—"

"GO!" he barked, giving an icy glare.

Jabu gave a silent nod, turning and fleeing the docks. _Damn it! I hate running, but…the Coliseum…Miss Saori's there…she doesn't know yet!_

Misty gave a cruel grin. "You think you can escape? I don't think you understand the situation—"

"_Koltso_." With the flick of a finger, Isaac formed three rings of frozen air around Misty's body, holding him in place. "_I'm _your opponent, Lizard. Forget about him."

"Kuh…" By the time Misty, with a brief two-handed strain, had broken free, Jabu was gone. "Have it your way."

Isaac took a step back. _So easily…I hoped it'd hold him a little longer…_

Misty sighed. "But what was it you said…you'll be 'my opponent'? You can't be serious. A Bronze means to fight a Silver?"

Isaac made fists, flaring up his Cosmos. "Did I stutter?"

* * *

Seiya awoke to the sound of breaking waves—he lay on a beach, he realised when he opened his eyes. He sat up and immediately regretted the sudden movement, clutching his head in one hand while steadying himself on the ground with the other.

"You woke up fast," Shaina commented, walking over and sitting next to him. "You always were resilient, if nothing else."

"Lies, lies and slander," Seiya muttered with a chuckle, rubbing his eyes. "I'm impulsive and stubborn too." He looked around. "Where are we? And where's my Cloth?"

"Near Mount Fuji," she answered, indicating the peak in the near distance. "The caves underneath will be useful for your training. And your Cloth was severely damaged—almost useless. It's been sent off for repair."

"With who? June?"

"No, I left her at the Coliseum with your other friends. Your Cloth is in good hands. Don't worry about it for now…if you can survive the next few days, everything will be explained."

"So…training?"

Shaina nodded, shouldering her Clothbox, standing up and motioning for him to follow. "You realise how outmatched you were?"

"Well, yeah, he was like…y'know, like you!" Seiya replied, hopping over a rocky ridge, panting a little to keep up with her. "So, uh, did you beat him?"

"There are only two Silver Saints that I fear," she answered. "Perseus Argol…and Aquila Toma." Seiya noticed that her left shoulder-strap was completely severed, a thin trickle of blood running down the arm. "Our fight was…inconclusive. I had you and June to worry about, after all. I got Toma to agree to fight you in a few days, once you're ready."

"So you're training me to beat him. Which means…"

"You must surpass me," she confirmed. "And quickly. The more pressure is placed upon you, I have found, the faster you improve…let us hope we do not reach your breaking point. Oh, and…there were conditions," she added.

"Go on," he said, now a little hesitant.

"Toma will not harm you or any of your comrades without provocation until your rematch, on these two conditions. The first is simply that we do not run from the fight. The second…is that I consider this a substitute of my own fight with him. If he wins, I won't attack while he's tired from fighting, but rather return with him to Sanctuary to accept my punishment."

"And you'd do that?"

"I have promised to do so. What I will _actually _do if my student is killed before my eyes…that, I cannot say."

"Heh…" He rubbed the back of his head. "That's about the most human thing I've ever heard you say, Shaina."

She grumbled something unintelligible.

"What was that?"

"I said your training begins now! Climb the mountain! Every time you drop below Mach speed, you add another lap!"

"Gah! What?! You're a monster!"

"I do not deny this."

* * *

"Diamond DUST!" Isaac rocked back with the recoil as the icy wind surged towards his target.

Misty's smile twitched slightly, and he simply held both hands out, palms forwards; the attack diverted its course and parted around him, freezing great swathes of the water around him but leaving him untouched.

"I did warn you," he said, giving a sad shake of his head.

"Grh…" Isaac leapt at Misty, arcing down and swinging his fist out. "_Aurora Thunder Attack—!_"

"Hm." Misty flexed his fingers slightly, remaining in the same position, the same invisible wall of force causing Isaac to rebound back onto the docks, tearing up the wooden surface as he skidded back. "Don't mistake me for an opponent on your level…I'm not some simple Black Saint you can impress just by pulling out your strongest attack. But it seems you're going to be difficult…I'll finish you now." He held up one finger. "With just this. You have ten seconds to live, in case you wish to pray."

"Don't bother. If we're going to end it…" Isaac's foot drove into the splintering plank beneath as he rose. "Let's just do it now." He drew back his right arm again. "_Diamond…_"

"If you insist." Misty thrust his index finger forwards, a beam of pure force rushing at Isaac. "_Mavrou Trippa!_"

"…_Dust!_" Isaac finished, their techniques clashing in the air between them. For a brief moment, the Diamond Dust surrounded and enveloped the Mavrou Trippa; then, it was smashed aside, Misty's attack ploughing into Isaac, slamming him back into the concrete barrier surrounding the docks and carving out a crater in the rock around him.

Isaac gave a weak cough, tasting blood as it passed out of his mouth with the action, his head ringing, his body still shuddering from the impact. It took him almost a minute to make himself move.

"Not dead?" Misty sighed as Isaac staggered back towards him. "Shame. I prefer a clean kill…having to repeat myself is so dull." He raised his finger again.

Isaac took one more deep breath, steadied his shaking—and laughed.

Misty paused. "…what are you…?"

"This battle…is over." Isaac returned Misty's gesture, pointing back at him. "Misty—you've lost."

* * *

_Why yes, I must end this chapter on a cliffhanger, why do you ask?_

**Q:**So Shiryu didn't die? Misteries, misteries... I so love this fic!

**A:** We'll see, aheh...

**Q:** One thing I can't wait to figure out is what your plans for Juna and Isaac are, since (As far as I know) they are not actually related to the others, so they are the odd ones out in the group, unless you're putting your own twist on that as well.

**A:** They're not related to the others, I'm not changing that. I think in a way that makes the bond of friendship with this group even stronger...you know how they say you can't choose your family but you can choose your friends?

**Q:** Awesome chapter once more. I have various points I would like to ask: Are you going to develop the Black Saints and Silver Saint (the characters) more? How are you going to do with Shun being the purest soul on Earth? After all, he supposedly is Hades reincarnation?

**A: **Some of the Black and/or Silver Saints may well get bigger roles here, yes. And yeah, if due to all this Shun is no longer quite so pure...Pandora and co. are not gonna be happy.


	12. Chapter 12: Warriors of the Goddess

**Chapter 12: Warriors of the Goddess**

_Next Dimension is back! Awesome, huh? Anyway, uh, chapter, right._

* * *

"What are you talking about?" Misty demanded—even as the air around him began to shimmer as if thick with miniature diamonds.

"My attacks weren't just stubbornness," Isaac explained. "The first was to determine the nature of your barrier. Then, I began spreading ice in preparation. One use of Koltso, to cover your immediate surroundings…one use of Diamond Dust, to coat a wider area…and one Aurora Thunder Attack, to focus it all in towards you." He turned away, beginning to walk off. "If you attack, you'll whip it up into a frenzy…it's still infused with my Cosmos, so you're effectively surrounded by a million tiny blades. It'll cut you to pieces."

"Ridiculous…" Misty growled. "You think I'll let you just walk away?!"

Isaac shrugged. "If you want to live."

"Heh…it's impossible. Someone like you, who sweats and bleeds and falls…can't put a scratch on me! None of my enemies have ever touched me! I don't even know the feeling of pain!"

Isaac didn't respond, continuing to shuffle away.

Misty's eyes dilated wildly. "Don't you _dare_…look down on me…_Bronze Saint—_!" Both his hands snapped open. "_Mavrou Trippa—_"

As the air in front of him began to swirl into a fury, forming his attack, Isaac's ice crystals did as promised—they roared around, across and through Misty, digging into his Cloth, slicing through his flesh, carving red lines up and down him.

He stumbled forwards, bleeding horrendously, gasping. "This…can't…my body is…the most beautiful thing…on this earth…_look what you've done to it!_" His voice trailed off, and he lurched back, sinking beneath the water.

_That wouldn't quite be a fatal blow, normally. _Isaac glanced back over his shoulder. _But, for someone who's never experienced pain…it was the shock that killed him._

_Misty…you were unprepared from the start. If you're overconfident, even a much weaker opponent can be dangerous._

Before he got any further, though, a noise from behind caught his attention. The water was…bubbling. Now it was steaming.

And then it parted, thrust back by a wall of flames on each side; after a moment, they died out, the water settling back in place—but not before something shot up from the depths.

Another Silver Saint, this one much rougher-looking, with close-cropped hair, his face twisting with anger. He held Misty's body in his arms, and as Isaac turned, the man's head rose, gaze locking with the Cygnus Saint's.

"You bastard…" he hissed, fury distorting his voice. "How dare you…"

"I understand if you're upset," Isaac said calmly, "but don't ask stupid questions. He was trying to kill me."

"Shut up!" the new arrival snapped, laying Misty down and stepping over him, fists shaking. "For this…for failing your mission…and for your crimes against Sanctuary…I, Centaurus Babel, will punish you!"

_With the dramatic introduction and everything…this guy's the real thing. Let's hope he's not as strong as Misty…I can barely stay on my feet. Well…nothing for it. _He brought his fist around, gathering as much of his failing energy as he could muster. "_Diamond Dust!_"

"Hah!" Babel folded his arms behind his head, letting the attack break harmlessly on his chestplate. "You think cold like that can freeze a Silver Cloth?" He pushed forwards, catching the Diamond Dust. "Try this!" His hands blurred for a second, and a jet of flame shot forth, melting through the ice with ease and striking Isaac, engulfing him in heat and noise.

"How do you like that?" Babel laughed. "Creating flames out of air friction…no problem at all, for someone of my calibre." His eyes narrowed. "Go to Hell, Cygnus."

"Graah—!" Stumbling away, his whole body aflame, Isaac found the strength to leap backwards, plunging into the water.

Babel ran to the edge of the docks, staring out over the ocean—no movement or sign of life. _But…he's alive. And more than that—even if he's a traitor, he's a Saint. He won't abandon his allies…he'll come back when he's healed and rested._

_We _will _finish this, Cygnus._

* * *

June had only been awake for a couple of minutes, and was still being lead inside the Coliseum by Saori and Tatsumi, when Jabu appeared, sprinting madly up to them and skidding to a halt in a shower of sparks.

Ostensibly he was speaking to everyone, but he addressed Saori directly. "We have to leave! It's dangerous here!"

June nodded. "The Silver Saints?"

"What happened?" Saori asked, fear creeping into her voice when she realised how spread out they were.

"I'll tell you, I promise!" Jabu set off again, ignoring his injuries and heading inside to clear everyone out. "Just trust me, we have to leave!"

He was right, as it turned out—less than five minutes after Tatsumi had been sent to a small, out-of-the-way medical practitioner to hide the wounded, Saori, Jabu and June watched wide-eyed from a nearby rooftop as the Coliseum was pulverised from within, collapsing in on itself as if hit by a localised earthquake.

"Seems they're not happy we evaded them," June muttered.

"I'm sorry…" Jabu said, turning to Saori. "I know how long it took you to build that…"

Saori smiled, waving it off. "It doesn't matter. We're all safe is what's important." She stood away from the edge, looking back over the city. "We need to leave. Before Tatsumi returns. We're their priority targets—we need to lead them away from the city."

"My lady…" Jabu jumped up. "Maybe you should stay with him. We can fight—"

She shook her head. "I can't just leave this all to you any longer. I'm…not exactly a bystander in all of this either. I'll tell you everything, I promise, as soon as…as I can. For now…trust me, just for a little longer?"

He gave a wide smile. "O-Of course!"

June was still staring down at the wreckage of the Coliseum. "After she dropped me off, Shaina took Seiya…I don't know where…"

"And Isaac was fighting that Silver Saint last I saw him," Jabu said. "That guy might've been even stronger than Shun…"

Saori put a hand on each of their shoulders. "Have faith in them. As I have faith in all of you. Now…there isn't much time. Come."

* * *

Toma dropped down through one of the holes in the warehouse's roof; traces of Cosmos burnt to its limit still lingered in the building. _Phoenix and the others fought here… _He approached his target—the assembled Gold Cloth.

He gave it an experimental kick; with a slight spark, it fell over, coming to pieces. He sighed. _A fake…I expected as much. That makes this simpler._

Some day, he'd long ago decided, he would be clad in the real thing. Gold Saints were required only for the highest-priority missions, and had more leeway to pursue their own desires when duty allowed for it. He had to attain that—that, and the legendary speed to traverse the world in moments. That was what he needed.

_Sister…_

_Are you searching, too?_

* * *

Seiya backed away, his total focus on blocking Shaina's attacks putting him in almost a trance of concentration.

"I'm slowly increasing my speed," she explained, continuing to advance, arms working back and forth like pistons, "trying to find exactly where your upper limit is. As soon as I hit a speed that's just slightly beyond your current ability, we'll stay there until you learn to counter it."

"Sounds—" A blow struck him across the face, and he flinched away; three more followed. _Guess she's found it…_

She paused. "We'll break when you can keep up with these."

"That could take hours…" he moaned. "I'll starve!"

"Then learn fast."

* * *

Dawn was breaking as Saori, Jabu and June truly left the city behind—staying constantly hidden had greatly cut into their speed.

They spent some time winding through mountain passes before Saori decided they'd come far enough, selecting a nearby cave which they ducked into just as it began to rain. She produced some food she'd grabbed on the way out, tossing it to the Saints.

June nodded thanks, staring out into the rain. "You think Shun's alive?"

"Probably," Jabu mused. "Tough bastard. Wouldn't have guessed, from what he was like before…"

"Really?"

"Yeah…" Jabu slumped against the cave wall, resting his head in one hand. "He was always crying…always running after Ikki. Really sweet kid, I guess."

"Death Queen Island changed him," Saori agreed. "I hope it isn't too late for him…"

"I think…there is a chance," June said, hesitating. "He seemed to be having a bit of a breakdown towards the end of his fight with Seiya. Right at the end…I think he even apologised. I don't know what's going through his head right now."

"He'll be confused," Saori guessed. "At war with himself. It's rare for one person to contain so much love and so much hate…"

"Anyway…whether he decides to help us, or if we have to knock some more sense into him," Jabu concluded, "we'll definitely see him again."

* * *

It took two days for June and Jabu to fully recover, by which time they'd almost run out of food. The Silver Saints were still in the area—every now and then there would come a brief flare of Cosmos as they patrolled at supersonic speeds.

"If we need more time, I can sneak back into the city—" Jabu began.

"It's fine…we're ready." Saori gestured for the Saints to follow her, making her way out of the cave and scaling the outside, talking as she went.

"There is much to tell you…I have waited until now, because there is only one way to prove any of this, and it would bring our enemies directly to us—we weren't ready to fight until now.

"Thirteen years ago…my grandfather, on a trip to Greece, encountered a warrior amongst the ruins of Athens. A Gold Saint—Sagittarius Aiolos. He was mortally wounded, and carried a golden Clothbox and a small child. So often did I ask my grandfather to tell me this story, I've long since memorised Aiolos' words to him:

_"One who would kill this child has appeared in Sanctuary. I gave my all to rescue her and bring her this far, but now I am at my end."_

"He was so calm when he spoke…no fear of death, only of failure."

_"I implore you, protect this child until she grows up! She is the incarnation of Athena, sent to humanity by the gods once every few centuries, when evil spreads across the Earth. One day this Athena shall gather to her youths of courage and strength…I ask you to bestow upon the Saint who is strongest of them all this box, the Sagittarius Gold Cloth!"_

"And…the child?" June asked as they reached the top, trying to confirm her suspicion.

"Put on your Cloths," Saori commanded—as they did so, she closed her eyes, calming her breathing and preparing to undo all the mental barriers she'd worked so hard on maintaining all her life. "The time for battle is at hand…"

Her eyes snapped open, and an enormous Cosmos erupted from her body, immensely powerful yet devoid of malice, filling her companions with an instant feeling of serenity. "…and I, Athena, shall fight with you."

* * *

Toma was shocked awake, even miles away from the source. _This is…who…?! I've never felt anything like it…_

He leapt to his feet, setting off towards it. _It's none of us…damn it! Where'd they find someone like this?_

* * *

Seiya paused, looking over to Shaina. "Whose…Cosmos is that?"

Shaina took a while to reply. "It could only be…Athena…"

"I—" Before he could get through 'I thought Athena was at the Sanctuary', Seiya noticed something else. "Wait, there's a…feeling to it…a 'quality', I guess…I feel like I know this person."

Shaina looked pointedly at him (it was hard to decipher emotions through the mask, but after six years, he was getting the hang of it). "What do you mean?"

"Saori," he said, barely above a whisper. "Don't tell me…"

"You should go," Shaina decided.

"Can I beat Toma now, d'you think?"

"You had already come a long way from when I last met you, and this training has largely succeeded…but remember, Toma might be even stronger than I am. Have caution."

"You aren't coming?"

"I would, but…ugh…" She stood, and immediately fell again, clutching her stomach. "Perhaps the greatest testament to your improvement…is the toll this training has taken on _me_…I will follow when I can."

He nodded. "Thank you. For everything. I couldn't ask for a better teacher."

As he sped off, she caught herself smiling. _Maybe he is starting to affect me…_

* * *

Jabu turned in a slow circle. "I sensed the Silver Saints getting closer, then they disappeared…where—"

"They're here," June said quietly; in the same moment, four thunderclaps sounded, and Toma, Babel, and two others stood arrayed in front of them.

"Hey!" Jabu called. "Are you really gonna fight Athena? You're Saints, aren't you?"

"We're on a mission _from _Athena, boy," Babel snapped. "The Pope is her representative on Earth—he warned us we might find an impostor goddess!"

"But—"

Saori put a hand on Jabu's shoulder. "Thank you for trying. But their loyalty is absolute." She frowned as the Silvers' Cosmos began to burn with greater intensity. "Jabu, June—behind me."

Their enemies burst into motion at once, placing their fists end-to-end and firing a combined blast of multifaceted Cosmos. Saori stood motionless until it was inches away, then backhanded it into the air, a flash of golden light accompanying the movement.

_They wouldn't listen before, but now they've seen that… _She folded her arms, glaring at them. "The goddess of war commands you. _Stand down_."

"Heh…" Toma cracked his knuckles. "Don't think you've won yet…"

Saori was about to reply, when a burning pain ran through her body, driving her to her knees.

"Milady!" Jabu crouched next to her. "What happened?"

"My body…" she hissed. "…isn't ready yet…to handle this divine power. This was too soon…!"

Someone else had noticed this moment of weakness—as she was trying to stand, dozens of thin black cables snaked down from the sky, snaring Saori about her arms, legs and waist, and hoisting her away into the air—above, the sky was filled with swirling, screeching crows, hundreds of which held the cables now carrying Saori away.

"Hold on!" Jabu shouted, jumping after her—before he was halfway there, an immense impact slammed him back into the ground; the two Silver Saints accompanying Toma and Babel stood over him, blocking him and June off from Saori's receding form.

"Damn it…what the hell is this?" Toma growled. "I told squad 2 not to interfere while we were hunting…"

"If Jamian does it, it's still done," Babel reminded him. "Just wanted the glory for yourself, eh?"

Toma smiled. "You know me. Well…no need to lose sleep over it; Jamian can have that one." He called over to the other two. "Moses! Asterion! Feel free to take your time; we're not going anywhere."

Jabu backed up next to June, staring down their two opponents; one was a giant of a man, one eye blinded by an old scar, the other smaller and clean-faced, with cunning, calculating eyes.

"Go ahead," the smaller one said, stepping back. "I'll…keep a lookout." The way he said it made it sound like some kind of private joke.

The big one nodded, facing the Bronzes and pounding his fists together. "_Silver Saint: Kaitos Moses!_"

"And how d'you do," Jabu muttered, rolling his eyes.

"Formally introducing yourself to your enemy is traditional," June reminded him. "Get used to hearing it."

* * *

Saori fought back terror, managing not to writhe against the cables in blind panic, given that they were all that was currently keeping her from a potentially-fatal fall.

Once she'd calmed down enough to think, she peered up into the flock of crows carrying her away—at the centre, hanging by a cluster of cables clenched in one hand, was a bald, lanky Silver Saint, who occasionally gave a brief, wordless sound or gesture, causing the crows to change course slightly. _So…he can't fly on his own…_

_I don't know how much of my power I can summon in the time it'll take me to fall, but…I have to try something. I can't go to Sanctuary as a prisoner…not with it under that man…_

She steeled herself for what she was about to do. _I wish there was someone I could pray to, but I _am _the higher power… _"…and this world…" she whispered to herself. "…and those Saints…are my responsibility!" She sent out a mental impulse, completely breaking the mental connection between the Crow Saint and his minions—the birds scattered, making a cacophony and releasing the cables; both Saori and the Saint began to fall, the distant ground racing up to meet them.

* * *

"_Kaitos Spouting Bomber!"_

With a single upwards sweep of his arm, Moses sent June and Jabu flying, now raising both arms and catching them with his fists as they fell, launching them up again.

Tumbling uncontrollably, they landed on his fists a second time, this time falling away as he stepped back, lowering his stance and waiting for them to get up.

"What an attack…" June mumbled, struggling to get off the ground. "There's no way to counter from that position…"

"Damn it…what are we wasting time here for?" Jabu put a hand to his head, and it came away bloody. "Saori is…"

"Stay calm," June cautioned. "I agree, we need to get after her as soon as we can. But we're outnumbered, and against Silver Saints…we have to fight smart."

"Don't think I can manage that right now," he grunted, pushing himself to his feet. "So how about I distract him, and you…I dunno, think of something clever."

"I'll see what I can do. You recovered?"

"Never better."

"Liar."

"Heh." He sprang at Moses, throwing as many attacks as possible, as quickly as possible, at the expense of power—even so, though, none of them connected.

Moses barely appeared to move, his dodges coming so fast that some of Jabu's blows seemed to pass straight through him. "Faster than before…but a Bronze is a Bronze, in the end—"

"_Moses! Behind you!_" his partner, silent until now, called out; in that moment, Moses shoved Jabu away, then turned and raised the triangular shield mounted on his arm-guard just in time to block June's sneak attack.

She jumped back, clutching her arm as it stung from the impact. _He spoke before I even started to attack…_ "How did you know?"

The second Silver Saint tapped his head, chuckling. "Your mind is an open book to Asterion the Hound. Did you think I was just observing?"

"A mind-reader…" _And combined with Moses' strength…quite the team. _"Jabu! We'll have to try and outpace him!"

Jabu nodded. "Let's go!" He ran back at Moses as June did the same, trying to overwhelm the speed of Moses' body and Asterion's mind.

It was to no avail; the rare moments when they were close to overwhelming Moses, Asterion would shout an observation over to him—_"To your left!", _or _"Careful, that's a feint!"_, or _"He's about to break off and target me, stay on him!"_—and the Kaitos Saint would smoothly adjust to whatever strategy they'd been about to try, letting them wear themselves out on his defences, before finally taking the offensive again.

"This is the final blow!" he declared, rocking back for a moment, then lunging back at them; before they could dodge, they were both swept up in his attack once more. They arced up through the air, coming back down towards his upraised fists.

_"Kaitos Spout—_agh!" The Bronzes hit the ground and rolled away as Moses staggered back, staring down at his hands—a pair of small metallic objects, sharp at one end and rounded at the other, had impaled through them.

He tugged them out, examining them. "Metal…feathers?"

Asterion nodded. "Orichalcum, to be exact."

"They're part of a Cloth?"

"They penetrated your gauntlets, didn't they?" Asterion paused. "I'm trying to get a fix on their owner…they're—"

The ground around Moses erupted into a huge column of flame, rising into the sky and obscuring him from view—when it faded, he was gone.

"…the hell…?" Asterion muttered, head tracking back and forth. "…there!" His mental powers picking up on something, he raced off over a cliff-face, shouting back over his shoulder, "I'll bring Moses back! Toma, Babel, clean up these two and wait for us!"

Toma nodded. "Agreed." He glanced over at Babel. "Any idea who that was? I have a bad feeling…"

"Heh…your friends are good as dead." Jabu rubbed his aching head, taking a few staggering steps towards the remaining Silver Saints. "That was the Phoenix Saint. He could take the lot'a you in his sleep."

"So he did survive," Toma said, smiling. "I'm glad…I look forwards to fighting him, if the need arises."

"He can get in line!" came a voice from above.

Toma's head snapped upwards, a hand going up to shield his eyes from the sun. "Seiya…as promised."

Seiya stood atop a tall rock-spire, silhouetted in the sunlight, a grin just visible against the harsh backlight. "Miss me?"

* * *

_Fun fact: Shaina is Italian and Misty is French. Also apparently June is from Ethiopia…she sure doesn't look it, huh?_

**Q: **So Shaina will be at Seiya's side from the beginning... Will the fights end by the death of all the Silver Saints sent after the Bronze Saints?

**A:** Tune into the next few chapters to find out!

**Q:** Will you change some of the gold saint that die in the battle of the 12 houses.

**A:** I can't imagine that things will go the same as canon. (So basically, almost certainly, yes.)


	13. Chapter 13: Reversal

**Chapter 13: Reversal**

_Man, things have just been non-stop for our heroes, eh? I mean, it makes sense, both Shun and Sanctuary picked the perfect time to attack, i.e. when their enemies were weakened from battle already. Anyway, they'll get a breather soon-ish. Probably._

* * *

"What gives, eh?" Seiya jumped down to face Toma. "You weren't gonna attack until I came back." He walked right up to the Silver Saint, jabbing him in the chest with one finger. "And here I am, and you're already knocking my friends around."

Toma shoved him back, half-turning away. "There were unexpected developments. You've acquired an incredibly powerful ally. Immediate action was required."

Seiya laughed. "Well, good luck getting Shaina to hold up her end now."

"Don't get cocky, boy." Toma's arm rose—Seiya's eyes widened—there was a burst of light between them as their impossibly-fast attacks met. They were both already moving before it faded, racing off down the edge of a ravine, trailing sparks and flashes as they attacked and guarded.

Babel stared after them. _The boy's Cosmos isn't normal…it feels more like two Silver Saints fighting each other… _He remembered himself, focusing back on Jabu and June. "Looks like I'm on clean-up duty…"

"You should be more careful—it's two on one," June warned.

Babel spread his fingers, forming a flaming aura around each hand. "Put more conviction in your bluffs. Two? I could take a hundred of you." He flicked his wrists out, sending twin streams of fire at the remaining Bronzes.

Before they reached their targets, however, the flames were doused by some invisible force, simply vanishing in mid-air. Babel squinted, noticing a slight shimmer of frost. _A field of supercooled air…?_

"I don't remember saying our fight was over, Babel." The voice was calm, even, and directly behind him.

"Gah!" Babel swung around, his burning fist raised high; Isaac caught it, bringing it to a halt.

"You should be faster than me," Isaac tutted. "Panic makes you predictable."

Babel struggled to push against Isaac's hand, but found it useless. _How?! He's not holding me back with a Bronze's strength…? _He finally noticed—a thin film of ice ran up his arm, slowing its movements.

He jumped back, sending a pulse of heat into the limb to defrost it. "Clever…but you've lost the element of surprise."

"If that was all I had planned, I'd have asked my friends for help by now. I haven't been idle since our first fight, you know." He gave a small laugh. "To tell the truth, I haven't been taking good care of myself…training and resting don't mix. I'm still in pretty bad shape from last time…"

Babel shrugged. "Wasted effort. It's not like you surpassed me. You said yourself that I'm still faster…" He ignited his flames again. "…and we've seen your ice is nothing to my fire! _Fotia Roufihtra!_"

An expanding vortex of fire leapt from his hands, rapidly approaching Isaac.

"Hm." Isaac swung his hands in a wide circle, forming a similar-sized wheel, spinning in the opposite direction to Babel's attack; frozen air followed his movements, meeting the incoming attack and completely negating it, quickly leaving nothing but a scattering field of steam.

"I wasn't training to increase my Cosmos," Isaac explained. "I was forcing the temperature of my ice down just that bit further…first, to counter your attacks…" He held up one finger. "And second, to freeze your Cloth."

"Kh!" Babel cracked his knuckles, stamping towards Isaac. "As if I'll let you…" He sped up, lunging in and swinging another punch at Isaac—the Cygnus Saint's image shattered on contact, revealing itself as a mere reflection on a vertical pane of ice. "When did you…"

"The steam from your flames made a perfect screen," Isaac answered, behind him again. "Once more—_Diamond Dust!_"

Babel screamed wordlessly as the searing cold bit into his skin, driving him to his knees. Cracks burrowed through his Cloth, expanding until it shattered, his eyes rolling back in his head, his body giving way and pitching forward onto the ground.

"Negative 330 Fahrenheit," Isaac said quietly, turning away from his downed foe. "Silver Cloth's freezing point. Sufficient motivation and a little practice were all it took."

* * *

"_Ryu Sei Ken!_"

"_Thunder Claw!_"

Their attacks detonating between them again, Seiya and Toma skidded to a halt, still by the clifftop. Seiya swung the first punch—Toma evaded it, seizing the opening and ducking under Seiya's guard to land an uppercut to the chin. He stepped forwards, following up, but Seiya recovered his senses just in time, grabbing Toma's striking arm and pulling him in for a knee to the gut.

They spun a half-circle, coming back around and each simultaneously landing a clean hit to the other's face. Seiya bounced back quicker, slapping away a mis-aimed jab and bringing his head up into Toma's face, driving the older Saint another step back towards the edge—but in doing so, Seiya overextended himself. Toma, not letting up, lowered his stance and lashed out with his front leg, sweeping Seiya off his feet. Seiya stuck out both hands to catch himself, springing back and smashing into Toma's chest heel-first.

Toma grunted, sliding back again, reaching the cliff's edge and digging in his feet to stop himself. "Not bad, Seiya. Thanks to your prior training, and your battles here in Japan, you were already on the verge of breaking through a wall…the limits to a normal Bronze's strength, that is. Seems Shaina helped you make that final step to our level." He paused to let Seiya respond. "What? Nothing to say?"

"Bit…short on breath," Seiya grunted, steadying himself.

"Well, that makes sense. You're keeping up with me, but your hits aren't causing as much damage as mine." He gave a shrug, and the Aquila Cloth cascaded off his body, falling down the ravine in pieces. "Such a victory would be meaningless. I won't prove the Silvers' superiority that way." He swept the cape off his back, holding it over one arm. "Now we're even! Come, Seiya!"

Seiya grinned. "You only had to ask." He shot forwards, lunging straight for Toma—but swung through the upraised cape, his momentum carrying him off the cliff.

Toma only had a moment to congratulate himself on his successful ruse before he felt the ground beneath his feet give way, and he fell almost as soon as Seiya did. _What—?_

"You didn't think I'd fall for a little bullfighting trick, did you?" Seiya taunted.

_Then the punch was a ruse! _Toma realised._ His true attack was against the ground supporting me…! _He frowned, turning to face his opponent—and the onrushing ground, far below. "I'll compliment you on pushing me this far, Seiya."

"Huh?" Seiya felt suddenly cautious; Toma sounded far too calm for someone who'd just been played.

"It's rare for an enemy to require this attack." Toma angled his body back, accelerating his fall with an upwards burst of Cosmos and swooping down at Seiya. Seiya swung up at him, but Toma twisted out of the way, bringing his foot down and tapping Seiya's side with it—

"_Eagle Claw Flash!"_

—and at the words, he drove in and twisted, and power flowed through the limb and into Seiya like a jackhammer in motion, and in the next moment Seiya was gone, a landslide in the opposite cliff wall marking his fall to earth.

Toma landed neatly, approaching the shattered rock-pile at the cliff's base with a lazy swagger. "I think I felt his spine snap…" he mused aloud. "I'd be surprised if he wasn't cut in half."

The ground behind him erupted and Seiya burst out, covered in dirt and scrapes from head to toe, grappling Toma before he could react. "What were you saying?"

"S-Seiya! You're alive?"

"And well! Guess it's my turn to show off my strongest attack? _Pegasus—_" He crouched for a fraction of a second, taking off and carrying Toma with him. "—_Rolling Crush!_" He carried Toma halfway through the arc of his jump before breaking away, dropping to the ground and letting Toma, still wreathed in Seiya's power, fly into the cliff-face, bounce off and hit the ground hard, Seiya's Cosmos detonating a second later.

Seiya fell to one knee, panting. _Probably shouldn't have done something so strenuous after taking an attack like that… _His hand went to his side, and he winced at the touch. _That kick was really something… _He managed to raise his voice to call out to Toma.

"C'mon! I know you're not done yet!"

Toma staggered out of the crater his impact had left, smiling a little. "You've truly surpassed my expectations, Seiya…I'm almost sad I have to execute you." He brushed some rubble off his shoulders. "We've both played our trump cards, and we're both still here."

"Speak for yourself," Seiya muttered. "I don't feel so great, so you're gonna have to come to me."

"As you wish." Toma set off at a sprint, rapidly covering the distance between them, putting all the Cosmos he had left into his arm. _Just enough for one more…I suspect he's the same way._

Indeed, Seiya—still crouching—was concentrating his remaining energy in the same fashion. At the last second, he leapt to his feet, bringing his arm up level to Toma's.

"_Pegasus—_"

Toma prepared to release his own attack. _Of course; he's countering my Ryu Sei Ken with his Thunder Claw. They'll cancel out like last time—it's the only way for him to avoid damage. "Ryu Sei Ken!" _he bellowed, firing off his meteor-shower of blows.

They met no resistance at all.

Seiya had angled his arm further up and now, even as the first of Toma's blows struck him in the chest, released his own attack directly into Toma's face. "—_Thunder Claw!_"

Toma hit the ground hard, yelling in shock as dozens of impacts made themselves felt. When the noise had died down, he simply lay on his back, breathing slowly, his strength completely gone.

_He overcame his self-preservation instincts…and completely gave up on defending himself, to ensure he finished me…Seiya's either a fighting genius, or a madman._

Seiya, meanwhile, was thinking nothing at all, out cold, a wide smile on his face.

* * *

Jamian climbed to his feet, rubbing his head. "What the hell…?" _The girl did something…I can't hear my children anymore! _He scanned the skies—no crows. A shiver ran through his body—he wasn't used to silence in his mind, and the absence of his flock's chatter was unnerving.

Something caught his eye over to the left; a faint, gentle glow. _Hold on…that's someone's Cosmos…weak, but rising fast! _He jogged over to it, cresting a small rise to see Saori, slowly lifting herself off the ground.

Her left arm was obviously broken, and as she raised her head, he saw streams of blood. He opened his mouth—then, seeing the look in her eyes, the words died in his throat. He took an involuntary step back. The light around her continued to grow.

* * *

Moses stumbled through the cavern, squinting through the darkness. "Where are you?!" he yelled.

"Please, don't shout," came Shun's voice from inches behind him. "My head hurts enough as it is…"

"Graaah!" Moses spun, lashing out and decapitating a stalagmite, but only caught a glimpse of the Phoenix vanishing.

"I haven't been myself for a while, see." Shun's voice echoed over to Moses, his direction impossible to guess at. "I let hate and rage and violence eat away at me until there wasn't anything else.

"I'm getting better, I think. I'm not there, but I'm getting there. Seiya showed me the merit of the emotions I'd locked away…I—I'm getting there," he said again, appearing before Moses in a burst of light.

Moses immediately lunged, and Shun darted in to intercept, grabbing his forearm and twisting it a half-turn to the side. "I know I'm stronger than this," he muttered, giving another twist and snapping the bone, the Kaitos Cloth crumbling beneath his fingers.

Moses sprung back, hissing, his mighty will repressing the pain. "Bastard…"

Shun ignored him, continuing to talk to himself, looking down. "There's…an enormous reserve of power in my body, but I sealed it away…when I realised what I was becoming. Put up a mental block." He put a hand to his forehead, closing his eyes. "I still can't get through it…I guess there's still too much anger in me…it's not who I am, you know? It feels alien in there—foreign."

Moses took advantage of his distraction, leaping back in and seizing Shun by the collar, hurling him overhead. "_Kaitos Spouting Bomber!"_

Shun let himself be tossed into the air, arms folded, totally calm. He glanced down at Moses' upraised fist, held in anticipation of his fall. "Interesting technique…must be devastating against ground-bound foes." A fiery aura sprung up around him, forming itself into the shape of great burning wings; he slowed his fall, controlling his descent and swooping down towards Moses legs-first.

Moses realised what was happening too late—Shun caught his fist between both feet, performing a full somersault and tossing the Silver Saint overhead, landing nimbly on his feet.

"But I have the wings of the Phoenix…I go where I please." Shun folded his arms. "You know, I'm really not sure what to do once I beat you. I do want to see my brothers, but…I don't know if I can face them at this point. Do you know what I mean?"

"Raaah!" Moses charged back at Shun on pounding feet.

"Right. Mindless brute. Forgot." Shun sidestepped, easily avoiding the bull-rush, his arm whipping out for a moment as Moses passed, one finger extended. "_Phoenix Genma Ken._"

Moses fell to his knees, an expression of abject terror on his face. Phantom horrors plaguing his mind, he collapsed, whimpering and twitching.

Shun frowned, staring down at his finger. "No, that's not right. I was trying to be merciful…leave him trapped in a pleasant illusion for a few hours…I went overboard again." He smacked the side of his head. "I still can't help myself…" _At least I didn't kill him. He should recover, given time…_

The cave wall behind him gave a shudder before collapsing; Asterion stood revealed behind it, one hand held out, still glowing with power. "You're going to feel everything you did to Moses, tenfold!" he yelled.

Shun folded his arms, not turning around. "Let's compare sins, shall we?"

Asterion faltered. "...what?"

"You do what you said. And me, I'll pay you back everything you people have done to my brothers—a hundred times!" The cavern began to shake as his power resurged, flames lapping about his feet. "We'll see who drops first."

* * *

**Q: **I love how Jabu seemed almost relieved to see that Shun was still around and helping them. It's sweet. Though I do wonder, is Kanon still going to be with Poseidon, or will you bring him in another way, seeing how Hyoga will eventually be involved?

**A:** Well, Kanon joined Poseidon before any of the changes that sparked off this AU happened, so presumably he'll still be there. Him and Hyoga on a team should be interesting, though.


	14. Chapter 14: Mind's Eye

**Chapter 14: Mind's Eye**

_Finally resolved the Isaac/Isaak issue. It doesn't really matter which you use (due to the way translating Japanese to English works), so it's just my personal preference which one I pick, but I should at least stick to one. So I've gone through and replaced all instances of "Isaak" with "Isaac". Okay?_

* * *

"_Phoenix Storm!"_

The words were audible as far as the surface; their effects, even more so. Beneath the ground, a jet of flames speared right through Asterion, melting the rock at the opposite end of the cavern and carving out a metre-wide hole.

Asterion appeared shocked for a second, a smouldering hole neatly punched through his midsection—then his image wavered and faded, the Silver Saint appearing unharmed behind Shun, panting a little.

"An illusion…" Shun realised. "You switched right as I attacked, using the flash as cover. You're fast…"

Asterion began backing away. "Oh, absolutely…but not compared to you, Phoenix. Your power exceeds mine, I freely admit. The title 'Bronze Saint' doesn't do you justice…I can see how you conquered Death Queen Island single-handed."

"Then how—"

"Quite simply, I can see your thoughts. I knew exactly when you'd attack and how." He smiled. "Ah, now I've got you nervous." He continued reading Shun's mind as the two circled. "No, that won't work. Interesting plan, but still no. And not that either, I'm afraid. And…come now, that's just ridiculous."

"_Genma Ken!_" Shun sprung at Asterion, trying to attack without thinking or planning, just acting on his first instinct. The pencil-thin beam of light shot straight for Asterion's head, but passed through another illusory figure, dissipating it.

"Good try," came Asterion's voice from across the cavern. "Unfortunately, even instinctive moves require brain activity; there's nothing you can do that I won't see coming."

Shun turned, mind racing. _Damn! If I could just trap him with the Genma Ken…he wouldn't know what thoughts were real and what he was hallucinating…it'd neutralise him completely!_

Asterion nodded, reading this thought too. "Such an unwieldy technique…you need to land a direct hit on the enemy to affect them with your illusions…but mine?" He snapped his fingers, a column of illusory copies forming next to him. "Now do you see the difference between us?"

Shun took a deep breath, facing Asterion with as much calm as he could muster. "I'm not intimidated by your imaginary friends. Attack as you like."

"If you insist." Asterion closed his eyes, directing his copies to advance. "_Million Ghost Attack._"

* * *

"This way," June said, leading Jabu—supporting Isaac's exhausted frame—down the darkening passageway. "Shun's Cosmos keeps getting lower…"

The cramped natural corridor soon opened out into a larger cavern; small fires burned here and there, reflecting off water-polished rock and illuminating the cave in a dim glow. At the centre of a swirl of still-steaming, half-melted stone, Shun lay unconscious; Asterion stood a short way away, walking towards the body.

"Oh, you arrived…." He muttered. "I was hoping you'd be a bit slower. I haven't finished him yet."

"And nor will you." Isaac tapped his foot on the ground, a column of ice racing out and snaking for Asterion's footing; the Silver Saint jumped back, smiling.

"Save your effort. If even the Phoenix couldn't beat my telepathy, fodder like you three don't have a hope in hell."

"No-one's invincible," June reminded them. "Stay calm."

Jabu nodded. _Hold on, Shun. We're getting you outta here._

"I'll provide a screen," Isaac muttered. "Break left and right, hit him from different angles."

"Good plan!" Asterion called.

"Ignore him." Isaac's fingers uncurled. "_Diamond Dust._"

A chill wind swirled towards Asterion, who raised one arm then swung it back down, scything through Isaac's attack and scattering it; as he did so, Jabu and June appeared on opposite sides of him, lunging simultaneously.

He bent his legs slightly, springing away at Mach 2 and leaving an illusory copy in his place, which they swung into, dissolving it and crashing into each other.

Still in the air, Asterion's eyes narrowed, countless copies appearing and filling the upper half of the cave.

"Incoming!" Isaac yelled, but he was too exhausted to put up an effective defence, and the other two were still standing back up.

"_Million Ghost Attack!_" At the words, the dozens of immaterial Hound Saints swooped down, each extending one leg and striking their targets a barrage of numbing blows, knocking them back and forth with ever-greater force.

Asterion landed, his copies disappearing, catching his breath after the energy-intensive manoeuvre.

"What kind of attack was that?" Jabu groaned. "It was like they were all real for a second…"

"How many times did he hit us?" June wondered, dragging herself over to the others.

"I'd boast that I've had worse," Isaac muttered, "but that's actually just kind of depressing."

Asterion began to stroll towards them. "I wonder if any of you are well-read. Does this sound familiar? _Thou losest labour: As easy mayst thou the intrenchant air with thy keen sword impress as make me bleed: _and then, you know, something something something, no man of woman born." He shrugged. "It's been a while, but I've always liked the notion."

June slowly stood, regaining her balance and bringing her Cosmos back up. "If I may counter with something a little more recent…" She pointed over at him. "_But no living man am I! You look upon a woman._"

Asterion frowned. He could see the plan she'd just formed…and it wasn't bad. Unbeknownst to him, a single sweat-drop began to slide down his face.

"Isaac, Jabu." She addressed them while keeping her eyes on Asterion. "Single out a thought, or a memory, or a person, or a thing…something you have strong emotions attached to. Fix it in your mind. Focus on it as hard as you can. Broadcast it. Feel it so strongly he won't be able to pick up any other thoughts, okay?"

"Got it." Isaac's hand rose to his scarred eye. _That day…I failed you, Hyoga…_

"'Kay." Jabu sat back, his face relaxing. _Saori…give me strength…_

Asterion took a step back. _Focus…focus! She's the only one not doing it; she'll be the only one attacking me. Focus on _her _thoughts! Ignore those two…ignore them, damn it!_

He couldn't.

He rushed at June, trying to strike before he was overwhelmed _and he was living that day with Isaac, and he felt the anger and sadness and shame and loss and he couldn't save Hyoga, that stupid, brave boy, and he was all Camus had left and he didn't know if he could shoulder the responsibility alone and his _eye _was gone and—_

—and June was driving punches into him, knocking him back step by step; she saw the mist leave his eyes, knew he'd regained his senses, and quickly swung around and pulled him into a headlock. He made to break away, to hit back, to summon an illusion, _something_, and—

—_and he saw Saori as Jabu saw her, and she was the most beautiful person in the world, and her wisdom and courage were all the inspiration he'd ever need, and whatever she'd done in the past he could forgive now he had the new her, the perfect her, he'd die a thousand times if she asked, and—_

—and his consciousness swam back to the surface, just in time to lose it more substantially as her hold tightened, squeezing all the breath from his lungs. He passed out, and she let him fall, standing back and wiping her forehead.

She walked back over to her allies—both still in intense focus—and crouched down, wiping a tear from the corner of Isaac's good eye and pulling them both into a hug. "Thank you."

"I can't believe that worked," Isaac breathed. He was more inclined to think than feel; a strategy like this was outside his field of experience.

"Remember that it did," June said. "Remember this fight. Our enemies might be stronger than us, but I know guys like that will never be able to feel as deeply as friends like you."

Jabu smiled. "Let's get outta here."

"Right…can you still carry Isaac?"

"I think so."

"Okay." June headed over to Shun, hefting his limp form onto her shoulder. "I'll get the idiot."

* * *

They emerged into the sunlight, blinking as they returned to the surface, still in the rocky wasteland at the mountain's base.

"Is it over?" Jabu asked, setting down his passenger and collapsing. "I can't go on…"

"Afraid not," June answered. "Toma said there are two squads; the crow Saint that attacked Saori—and from the Cosmos in that region, it seems like she took care of him—was the only member of the second squad we've seen."

"They work in groups of five, usually," Isaac supplied, sitting up. "The first squad was Toma, Misty, Babel, Moses and Asterion. The second squad is the crow Saint…and Shaina I suppose…and three more who've been held in reserve."

"Three more Silver Saints?!" Jabu clutched his head. "We can't handle that…"

"And since their comrades are all down, they're probably already on the way," June said, her face grim.

"Correction!" came the call from the ledge above. "They're already here!"

Three resounding _clangs _of metal brushing stone echoed from above as the final trio of Silver Saints leapt from their vantage point, surrounding the exhausted Bronzes as they landed.

The tallest clutched a razor-sharp disc in each hand, an elaborate half-headpiece holding his flowing hair in check. "Auriga Capella!"

The stockiest, his Cloth providing his body almost full coverage in plate armour, slowly whirled a spiked morning-star, a cocky smile edging onto his face. "Cerberus Dante!"

The third, his Cosmos far eclipsing that of the other two, gave off an unhealthy impression—cruel eyes, pale skin, tinted-green hair. Something large and metallic hung at his back, shifting with a life of its own. "Perseus Argol!"

"Hey, you were right," Jabu muttered. "One for each of us."

"Considerate of them," Isaac said wearily.

* * *

A dull noise next to Seiya's head awoke him—he tilted his head in its direction, and when he opened his eyes, he was greeted with the sight of the Pegasus Clothbox.

"Hey, buddy," he mumbled, weakly patting the metal. "You're late."

"I apologise." The voice was deep, husky—and familiar.

Seiya squinted up through the sunlight, trying to make sense of the figure that swam into view. It was the Black Dragon Saint, but wearing Shiryu's Cloth. These two facts swam around and bounced off each other in his blurry mind for a while, before he gave up.

"Hello," he managed.

"I don't have time to explain, but your Cloth is repaired—better than new." Black Dragon was already leaving as he spoke. "If you survive today, go to India and seek out Mu of Jamir. He will tell you everything."

"Whu…?"

"If you have any strength left, follow after me. I will probably be dead, but I promise you this—I will open the path for your victory."

"…uh?"

He said no more, springing away.

After a few minutes, Seiya managed to lever himself up to one knee, using the box as balance, resting one elbow on it. A footstep to his left alerted him—Toma, heavily bruised, swaying on his feet, was slowly advancing.

"I recovered faster," he rasped. "Looks like…I win in the end, Seiya."

Seiya's eyes narrowed, his grip tightening on his Clothbox—then relaxing as he felt a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"Leave him to me, Seiya," said Shaina. "Go to your friends."

"Thank you…" He stood, shouldering the box with some effort and setting off after Black Dragon as fast as he could manage. _Hold on, guys..._

Toma glared at Shaina. _In my current state…I'd stand no chance. _"Are you here to kill me?"

"No." She sat down in front of him, motioning for him to do the same. "We need to talk."

* * *

_So, just in case anyone didn't know what I was on about, Asterion was quoting Macbeth and June was quoting Lord of the Rings (the books, since although the movie's "I am no man" would have been more succinct, the Sanctuary arc takes place in the year 1987, and thus the movies wouldn't have come out yet). The reason I had Asterion forget the second half of the line is because that scene actually contains the phrase "__**one**__ of woman born" rather than "__**man**__ of woman born". But the play contains the "man" version several times, so I think the overall effect of the scene hopefully still works._

_And yeah, basically one more big clash to round out the Silver Saints bit, coming up._

**Q: **It seems that all the Bronze Saints are going to survive. Will Ikki come soon?

**A: **He doesn't really know exactly what's going on with everybody else, Andromeda Island is a long way away. But with that said, we still might see him soon.


	15. Chapter 15: Soldier of Light

**Chapter 15: Soldier of Light**

_More fun with translations! I thought Perseus "Argol/Algol" was just a translation choice due to the whole r/l thing in Japanese, but nope, he's actually named after the "Algol" or "Al'Ghul" (meaning "Head of the Demon") star, which is in fact a star in the Perseus constellation (and yes, it's the same thing that the Batman villain Ra's al Ghul is named after), so "Algol" is the correct spelling. The two instances of "Argol" in previous chapters have now been corrected._

_I should really have come to expect at this point that there are practically no non-meaningful names in Saint Seiya._

_(I'm leaving his named physical attack as the English manga translation "Gorgon's Kick" though because otherwise he has an attack that actually contains the phrase "Ra's Al Ghul" and that just feels weird to write.)_

* * *

Capella flicked his wrist, propelling the razor-edged disc from his hand into an arc through the air towards Jabu, who threw himself to the left—barely fast enough. The weapon missed taking his head off, but slashed across his shoulder and arm, carving straight through his Cloth, before returning to its owner.

Jabu hadn't had time to check where he was diving _to_, and combined with the sudden pain distracting him, he ended up landing face-first and tumbling away downhill.

"Jabu!" June made to run after him, but before she got further than a step, a spiked metal ball slammed into her side, flinging her away through the air.

Cerberus Dante reeled his chain-mounted weapon back in, sneering. "If you take your eyes off your opponent, you'll get hurt." He and Capella bounded off after their chosen targets, leaving Isaac alone with Algol.

"Not making the same mistake, I see," Algol noted. "Or maybe you're just frozen with fear?"

"Actually, I'm just about spent," Isaac replied. "If I jumped after them, I'd just collapse…"

Algol laughed. "Well, at least you're honest about it! Nerves of steel, this one!" He lowered his head. "Do you still intend to fight me?"

"Do you still intend to kill me?"

"Absolutely."

"Then there you go. Whether or not I _can _do anything, it'd be distasteful to go down without a fight." He sighed. "And victory is so mockingly close…somehow we made it to your second squad, and barely half of it at that, but we're finally running on empty…"

"Ugh, tell me about it," Algol groaned, running his hands through his hair. "We were reduced to 30% of our starting forces, by a handful of upstart Bronzes. The report to the Pope is going to be hell."

Isaac's voice dropped to its lowest, his Cosmos beginning to rise. "You might be seeing hell a little sooner than that." His eyes snapped open wide, his muscles screaming as he forced power down his arm. "DIAMOND—"

He got no further. Moving far faster than him, Algol had whirled on the spot, flicking his hair out of the way to reveal the large item hanging from his back—a hexagonal shield, embossed with a hideous, snake-haired visage. Its eyes flashed once, and Isaac's thoughts ground to a halt, his body freezing in place, a rough, grey texture creeping over his skin, until he was entirely turned to stone.

Crouched on a ledge high above, Black Dragon observed all this, his expression unmoving, gaze flicking up and down Algol.

* * *

Dante landed in a cloud of scattering pebbles, cutting off June's flight to cover. "Hold up, now; you're not scared, are you?"

She gave no answer, falling back and bringing up her guard. He whirled his chain once before hurling it again, the weighted end flying her way. What he was imagining would happen was that the spiked ball, this time thrown with full force, would strike her midsection again, tearing her rather messily in two.

The _actual _end result was that the ball was now embedded in the cliff-face behind June, who now stood balanced on the taut chain, arms folded, smirking.

"How…" he muttered, failing to even finish the sentence.

"Interesting weapon!" she called over to him. "You know, I've heard there's a master of this style of fighting—you know, long-range, flexible weapons like yours. Cepheus Albior, of Andromeda Island. If you'd studied under him, you'd be a veritable genius—you'd be able to counter attacks from even a much stronger chain-user. Have you trained with him, by any chance?"

"…no…"

"Oh, interesting." Her smile widened. "I have."

* * *

Algol looked up as June somersaulted towards him, landing in a neat crouch as Dante's weapon sailed over her head—heading straight for Algol.

The Perseus Saint's hand snapped up, catching the ball and reeling Dante in by it, Algol smacking him to the floor with his other hand. "Careful."

"Ghh…" Dante rubbed his head, sitting up. _She wasn't lying…she's always one step ahead of me._ He snarled, jumping to his feet. "I'll have to do this unarmed, I guess."

Algol nodded. "You could, too. But there's no need to drag things out like that." He unhooked the shield from his back—catching sight of the edge, some of the details, June immediately averted her eyes.

"Perseus Saint, of course…" she muttered. "Perseus took Medusa's petrifying head and used it as a weapon…"

"Then Athena mounted it on a shield; the shield borne by Perseus Saints since the age of myth!" Algol finished. "I'm impressed. But…" He sped forwards, circling her before she could react and holding the shield up in front of her face.

Her eyes were closed as an additional precaution, but it was no defence against the Gorgon's gaze; within seconds, June was a motionless statue, having nearly made it back to where Isaac had suffered the same fate.

"I could've handled her," Dante growled.

Algol shrugged, careful to keep the shield facing away from his ally. "I'm growing impatient of this whole affair." He turned to where two burning Cosmos could still be felt fighting, the smaller of the two growing weaker by the second. "Not long now. As soon as Capella finishes up over there…"

* * *

The twin discs made another pass, finally slicing off the last pieces of Jabu's Cloth, leaving another pair of narrow slashes on his skin. He fell back, leaning heavily against the boulder behind him, painting it with his blood.

Capella caught his weapons, performing a practiced spin-and-flick routine that cleaned the blood off them, advancing with a leer. "Really a shame…they take the interesting ones, and I get stuck cleaning up the trash." He paused. "No, not even that. Just a scared kid…starting to realise how far out of his depth he is." He raised his discs, preparing to throw, eyes glinting. "We chose sides, and you chose wrong, boy."

"You're right…about most of that…" Jabu said hoarsely. "I am pretty weak…and scared…and in over my head. But you people are the ones who chose wrong…you might kill me today, but someday you're gonna realise that."

"Then I'll apologise _someday_," Capella chuckled, "and kill you today. Sound good?"

"Go to hell."

"After you!" The Silver Saint took a leap forwards, pivoting on his front foot and throwing both discs, the deadly weapons arcing through the air at opposite angles. Jabu could barely stand—dodging was out of the question.

And then something was in front of him in a blaze of golden light, and the impacts never came, and when his senses finally caught up to what was happening, he was horrified to see Saori taking the attack for him, each disc carving a bloody gash into her back.

He pushed himself forwards and managed to collapse faster than she did, winding up on one knee, supporting her with both arms. "…why?" he choked.

"I haven't…made it up to you all yet…" she whispered, forcing a smile. "I'm sorry…I'm still not used to this power. I'm not strong enough…to protect you yet…"

"You will next time," he replied, clutching her hand in his, tears running freely down his face. "But today…"

"Unexpected," Capella mumbled. "Well, if at first you don't succeed." He performed his wind-up again, throwing his discs once more.

They made it to a mere few inches from Jabu before being engulfed in a blur of motion; the next moment, he'd caught one in each hand, keeping Saori propped up on his knee, his fingers tightening until the discs shattered, falling away in pieces.

"You bastard," he hissed, his body trembling from head to toe, his eyes clouded. "Unforgivable…" The ground around them began to shake, loose rocks coming loose and falling away downhill.

Capella took a step back, eyes widening.

* * *

Algol and Dante sensed the sudden explosion of Cosmos from where Capella was fighting; they shared a brief glance, before racing off towards it.

A few seconds later, Black Dragon silently dropped from his perch to follow them.

* * *

Capella made it another half-step, and then Jabu was in front of him, driving a punch into his stomach, before reaching up and tearing off the Auriga Cloth's chestplate. Jabu's foot slammed into Capella's now-unarmoured ribs, quickly rewarded with a loud crack; Capella fell away, mouth moving silently, making it a few feet back before collapsing.

Dante arrived just in time to see this, and didn't waste time wondering what had happened—he attacked as soon as he was in range, aiming to rescue his fallen ally as quickly as possible.

His weapon reacted to his flaring Cosmos, multiplying into a barrage of chains and spiked balls, all streaking straight for Jabu.

The flood of power surrounding his body became visible for a moment as Dante's attack collided with it, the multitude of weapons shattering as they made contact with the flickering wall of light.

While Dante stood and gawked at this, Algol remained just out of sight, watching. He gave a slow nod. _Interesting._

Slowly, Jabu turned; there was fire in his eyes. "Do you know what you did?"

Dante collected his wits enough to put up his guard—too late. Jabu was there, throwing an uppercut into his chin, following through and keeping up with Dante's arc through the air to slam him back down into the ground with the same motion. He didn't get up.

"I'm impressed!" Algol called, stepping out from his hiding-place. "Of course, now the mission's gone even more to hell, but I'm resigned to that by this point. I'm just happy to meet an interesting opponent like you." He laid his shield down on the ground, cracking his knuckles. "I think I'll actually give you a fighting chance."

Jabu rushed him, but he dodged, placing a hand on the opposite 'wall' and pushing away to avoid the follow-up strike. "Capella wasn't much to speak of, but what you did to Dante intrigues me. Those chains were designed to hold the hound of Hades, you know."

"Stand still," Jabu muttered, lunging again.

Algol caught his fist rather than dodging, giving a shrug. "If you like. But don't think you can breeze through me like the others. You're still—"

Jabu broke away, leaping over Algol's head, landing in a crouch and springing backwards, twisting in the air and extending one leg, aiming for Algol's back.

At the last second, Algol whirled, green lightning running down his leg with a noise like a serpent's hiss magnified a hundredfold. "_Gorgon's Kick!_"

Their kicks met in mid-air, streams of Cosmos warring back and forth for a moment—then Jabu's leg buckled and he fell back, Algol landing a second later, looking down at Jabu with smug satisfaction.

"Not good enough, boy. I think I felt your leg break…what do you think?" He got no reply, nudging Jabu's side with his foot. _Out cold…makes sense. He was already pushing himself so far past his limits._

Saori was barely conscious herself. Her human body had taken too much damage for her to wield her divine power now. Her present fears were allayed, however, as Algol seemed to have little interest in finishing her or Jabu off yet; he was glancing at the surrounding cliffs, as if searching for something.

"I know you've been watching us!" he called. "Come out, will you?"

As requested, Black Dragon emerged from cover, jumping down to face Algol, unspeaking.

Algol tilted his head back. "Are you on their side?" No reply. "If you are, that's rather callous, letting them get beaten up like that while you just sit up there watching."

"I doubt they'd accept my help while they had the choice," Black Dragon finally said. "I've been watching how you fight, trying to come up with a strategy."

"Ah, very smart! Got anything?"

"In a way." The apparent new Dragon Saint adopted a fighting stance. "If we fight, I'm certain I'll lose—but my life won't be cheap. It'll cost you your shield."

"That's assuming I even get it back." Algol indicated the Medusa Shield, still face-down on the ground, about halfway between them. "Quite the race we've got set up here. The loser gets petrified. How does that sound to you?"

Black Dragon's response was to break into a run, Algol setting off at about the same time. It soon became apparent that Algol was the faster of the two by a long shot, and he was nearing victory. Mind racing, Black Dragon unhooked the Dragon Shield and hurled it discus-style, catching the far edge of the Medusa Shield and sending it skidding back towards him.

He dived for it, but just as the tips of his fingers brushed it, Algol slammed into him foot-first, hurling him bodily away. By the time he'd recovered, Algol was already standing, shield hooked back on his arm.

"A noble effort!" he laughed. "You gave me a real scare. But now I'm back to full capacity, and you've lost _your _shield."

Black Dragon took a deep breath, averting his eyes. _Still possible. The Dragon's right gauntlet is as indestructible as the shield. If I can lure him in, I can still destroy his weapon._

Algol took the offensive, easily driving in blow after blow, humming to himself. _He'll have to defend himself eventually…he'll have to look up, and give me an opening._

But it didn't happen—Black Dragon's caution of the Medusa Shield was evidently stronger than his self-preservation instincts. He didn't raise his head, keeping his guard up around his face and weathering the beating with barely a grunt.

Algol stopped for a moment, disappointed. "Stubborn…suppose I'll have to kill you the normal way."

He took a step in and lunged, plunging his armoured fist into Black Dragon's midsection, tearing bloodily through the flesh—and _that _was when Black Dragon moved, gripping Algol's wrist with his left hand and drawing back his right, focusing his Cosmos in that hand.

"What I was…waiting for," he gasped. "A strategy…used against me, not long ago…now I won't miss."

Algol grimaced, bringing up his own free arm. "Just try it…if you think you can strike before I can. This hasn't been a good week for Dragon Saints, has it?"

They lunged—and Black Dragon lurched forwards, driving Algol's extended arm further into his stomach, but passing under the Perseus Saint's second swing, which now left his shield-arm extended and open to attack.

The Dragon's fist swung upwards, smashing into the Medusa Shield and piercing straight through it. The gorgon's eyes flared green for a moment before going dim, shards of the terrifying weapon littering the ground around them.

Algol's eyes widened for a moment, then he put on a burst of speed backwards, leaving his shield behind and tearing himself free from Black Dragon just before the blow reached his arm.

Black Dragon fell to his knees, blood pooling around him now the wound was fully opened, wavering for a moment before collapsing face-down, twitching.

Algol stared down at his fallen foe, rubbing his arm where the super-hardened gauntlet had brushed him. "You made good on your promise…I'm impressed."

A pair of gasps came from behind him as Isaac and June reverted from their statue forms back to living flesh, stumbling forwards before catching themselves and standing straight.

Isaac quickly took in the situation. _If we're back...but Algol's still here...ah!_ "Someone destroyed the Medusa Shield, but couldn't beat its wielder."

June noticed the figure Algol was standing over. _Shiryu?! No, that's… _"Black Dragon…why would he…?"

"Is that who he is?" Algol mused, turning back towards them. "The true Dragon Cloth, accepting a Black Saint…I'm as clueless are you are. In any case, a pointless sacrifice. Even two on one, I can easily—"

"And three?" Seiya crested a slope behind them, surveying the scene.

_That guy fits the description Shaina gave…Perseus Algol. Only Silver Saint other than Toma she'd have trouble fighting. But where's his—ah, broken. From how high Algol's Cosmos is, must've taken a lot to do that…I guess that was Black Dragon, then. Oh man, he's in bad shape._

Black Dragon raised his head upon hearing the voice. "Seiya…I've paid…my debts. He's…no longer invincible."

"Whoa, wait!" Seiya scrambled over, crouching down by the bloodied body. "Hang on! Don't give up! I still don't even know why you're—"

"Spare me…your pity," Black Dragon shot back, voice wavering. "You know…I don't deserve it."

"That doesn't mean I want you dead!" Seiya yelled, pounding a fist into the ground.

"And what, exactly…did I have left to live for?" All strength left the Saint's body, his head hitting the floor again, his jaw going slack. After a moment, the eerie blackness that filled his eyes faded. With that, he suddenly seemed fully human, and it occurred to Seiya that this had been nothing but a boy not much older than he was.

Seiya stood, planting his Clothbox on the ground in front of him. _Thank you…you gave me a chance, and I swear I won't waste it!_

Algol sunk back into his fighting stance. "Do you really think you can win?"

Seiya put his hand out, palm down, closing his eyes, feeling the Pegasus Cloth's dormant power and harmonising it with his own. _Let's see what 'better than new' is like._

The Clothbox burst open, his Cloth's statue form breaking apart, pieces of armour swirling through the air around him, one swooping in to clamp onto his body every couple of seconds.

Its appearance was different, for one thing—the headpiece was a little more substantial, and the shoulder-plates were extended, sweeping off into points. In fact they and the chestplate were now all one piece. The whole thing was a little less classically styled, almost looking high-tech in its design.

But what shocked him was how alive it felt. He'd always been able to feel a faint life-force when he wore his Cloth, but there was so much more energy to this reforged version. He could scarcely believe what Black Dragon and this Mu person had done with it.

_With this Cloth…after all these battles…and my training… _He fixed Algol with a direct stare, sliding one foot around and back, one fist clenching. "You're nothing."

"That so?" Algol spat, readying himself. "Come at me whenever you—"

An explosion of light filled his vision, the ground at his feet crumbling. A wall of force slammed into him, an inexorable wave, picking him up and flinging him back, his Cloth splintering. By the time he hit the ground, he was already unconscious.

Isaac and June looked over in disbelief; Seiya stood in the same spot, one arm extended, steam rising from his arm, the glow around his hand fading.

_Was that just a punch? _Isaac wondered. _It looked more like…a meteor._

Seiya shook his arm, trying to dispel the ache running through it. "Hell of a kickback…"

"Please tell me that was the last one," June said wearily.

Isaac nodded. "We made it through…two full squads of Silver Saints. Now, if you'll excuse me…" He fell to the ground, giving a satisfied sigh.

* * *

This sentiment was shared by all, so within 24 hours, they all found themselves recuperating at the Kido family's countryside villa. No-one was unscathed—Jabu, Isaac and Saori had the worst of it, Seiya, Shun and June weren't much better, and even Tatsumi (alternately serving tea and grumbling about the state of the carpet in the wake of all this blood, mud and metal) was still a little banged up from his encounter with a Black Saint. Bandages and the like had been distributed, and they were all enjoying some long-overdue rest in what must have by this point felt like the softest chairs in the world.

"I can't believe myself," Shun moaned. "I did all that to all of you. It was like…that hate was so strong, there wasn't room for anything else." He looked up at Saori. "How much do they know?"

She nodded, laying her drink down and adjusting the sling on her injured arm. "Some of you know parts of the truth…I'm not sure if any of you know all of it. Before I begin, though, let's wait for everyone to arrive."

"What do you—" Jabu began, before his question was answered by the arrival of Shaina, carrying Toma over one shoulder. She strode into the centre of the room where the others sat, dumped Toma on one free chair and fell into another herself.

Saori didn't bat an eyelid. "Tatsumi, tea," she said, indicating the new arrivals.

He handed them both a steaming cup; Toma drained his immediately, the heat reinvigorating him. Tatsumi regarded Shaina with some curiosity, meanwhile. She didn't seem to be in any hurry to remove the steel barrier between the drink she held and her lips. He eventually decided it was none of his business, and turned away to return the trolley—then stole a glance back over his shoulder. Shaina's cup was empty.

"Well, now we're all here," Saori continued, unfazed, "here it is.

"I am indeed this era's incarnation of Athena. My body, though, is—for the moment—human, and untrained at that, and summoning divine power is very taxing. I have yet to fully mature into the goddess of war. It may still be beyond my ability to defeat our enemies alone.

"For this reason I have hidden my identity…as difficult as the battles you faced were, if the Pope were to hear of my existence and unleash all that is at his disposal, they would become impossible. At least…that was our thinking, previously. He may have become aware of me, since the Crow Saint had orders to kidnap me."

Shaina spoke up. "I led that squad, along with Algol. Jamian—the Crow Saint—was only given vague orders, so I cannot be certain. My guess is…the Pope _suspected_, but his primary objective was to confirm whether or not you are Athena. Although, he certainly knows now."

Saori nodded. "I thought I was discovered, so I revealed my power in order to protect you all. Ironically, that may have been what caused me to be truly discovered…" She sat back, glancing over towards the fireplace. "I think that covers me. On to you.

"The children the foundation sent out to become Saints…including Shun, Hyoga, Seiya, Jabu, Shiryu, Ikki, Nachi, Geki, Ichi and Ban…you are all brothers. The children of my adopted grandfather, Mitsumasa Kido. Well, half-brothers, except Shun and Ikki."

"And Seika and me," Seiya cut in. "That bastard. D'you know what we all went through? Who does that to his own kids? Wish he was still alive so I could—"

"Please, don't hate him," Saori said softly. "He too despaired your fate."

"Can't say I ever got that impression."

"When he found me, and the Sagittarius Cloth, he was given a mission—a divine commandment. There was a war coming, and he was too old to fight it himself. He was given the role of Zeus to act out: The father of Athena had many mortal children besides, and these demigods became great warriors in the Age of Myth; so it was ordained for my grandfather's many children."

"Okay, right, so it's heaven's fault," Seiya grumbled. "I'll take it up with Olympus, shall I."

Saori smiled sweetly. "Perhaps someday _I _shall."

He paused. If they came through all this…if she continued her growth into a goddess…that wasn't actually impossible. They might be able to confront the person who decided this fate for them all, someday. It was an interesting thought.

"Your grandad's still a bastard," he added.

"He was not cruel," she said firmly. "He was, however, pragmatic to a fault. A more compassionate man would have tried to find another way. But here we are, and even through great sacrifice, this plan has paid off, so far."

"I have bad news for you," Toma said. "You might be the real thing, but the Gold Cloth's a fake."

"I assure you it is genuine," Saori replied—the Sagittarius Clothbox sat on the floor beside her chair (each Saint, meanwhile, sat next to their own Cloth's container). "My grandfather had it disguised to fool anyone who might try to reclaim it—like you. All I know is it was a man called Mu he hired."

"Mu…" Seiya mumbled. "Mu of Jamir. That's what Black Dragon said…Mu of Jamir can tell me what happened."

"He's probably the one who repaired and improved the Pegasus and Dragon Cloths, then," Shaina reasoned. "Between that and disguising Sagittarius, he must be a genius." She thought for a moment. "I know of Jamir…it's in India. I think paying a visit would be wise."

"Whatever the case, I know the Gold Cloth's real," Shun said. "When I wore it, it gave me power I could barely dream of…"

"So what's our next move?" June asked.

"I know what _I'm _doing," Saori answered. "When I'm ready, I'm going to Sanctuary, to confront the Pope. I don't know what his motive is, but I'll find out, and defeat him if necessary."

"Aren't we all grandiose all of a sudden!" Toma laughed. "You know the Pope commands the Gold Saints? Do you know what they're like?"

"They're terrifying," Shun muttered. "I met one, on Death Queen Island..." His voice shook as he spoke. "I can't describe it."

"Regardless, I will fight," she reaffirmed. "You may all choose whether or not to accompany me. But I truly believe that, if you all lend me your power—and with the Sagittarius Cloth—we can win."

"Speaking of which," Seiya said, indicating the golden box. "Who were you planning on giving that to?"

"The initial plan was for the Galaxian Wars tournament to determine the best candidate. Obviously, we never got that far." She looked around the room. "And you have all demonstrated unbelievable strength and bravery…it's not like there was one 'winner'."

"I'm pretty sure _I _won," Seiya joked. "I did take out the strongest Black Saint, the two toughest Silvers, and Shun…"

"Think you mean _I _took out the strongest Black Saint," Jabu countered. "You _helped_."

"Well, that's—"

"You had a lot of help fighting me, I recall," Shun pointed out. "June, and Black Dragon—who you would've lost to Algol without, also."

"I mean—"

"Not to mention you were no match for Toma until I showed up," Shaina added.

"Okay, I get it!" Seiya yelled, covering his face with one hand. "Forgive me, Holy Father, my sin is pride, yae verily…"

Shun giggled at this, before growing serious again. "Back to the point…Sagittarius rejected me, back then. The Cloth's own will was reawakened…it will choose its own wearer, when it sees fit."

"Let us hope that is sooner rather than later." Saori stood, addressing them all. "Well? We are out of danger for now, but that will not last forever. What will you do?"

"Ah, hell with it," Seiya sighed. "Y'can't very well help me find Seika if you're dead. I'll see you through this."

"That's your reason for staying?" Jabu snorted. "After all this, you're still so self-centred?"

Seiya leaned back in his chair, folding his arms behind his head. "Yeah, keep yapping, lapdog."

Jabu would have jumped up, but for his damaged leg, so he settled on flailing his arms furiously. "You want to try me? C'mon!"

"Why don't you come to me?" Seiya taunted.

"Go to hell!"

Saori couldn't contain a laugh at all this. "Well, that's two at least."

"I couldn't abandon any of you now," Isaac said, staring at the floor in contemplation. "But I need to consult with my master. If I leave as soon as I'm fit to travel, I can be back within a couple weeks."

"Your master?" she asked.

"Aquarius Camus," he supplied. "A Gold Saint, and a great man. I hope to convince him to join us."

"A full-fledged Gold on your side _would_ change things," Toma admitted. "Add four or five more, and you might even have a chance to survive."

Saori turned towards him. "I take it by 'your' and 'you' that you have no intention of staying?"

He shrugged. "I can't exactly abandon Athena, or side with a Pope who tries to kill her. But I do think you're doomed." He thought for a moment. "Come to it, as far as Sanctuary knows, I was defeated and that's all there is to it. The Pope has no reason to suspect I know any of this."

"You have a plan?"

"I'll return to Sanctuary, confirm the mission was a failure along with the other survivors. I assume you'll be there eventually…I'll see what I can do to help from within. If I can find any allies for you, or discover more about the Pope…I'm not sure exactly, but whatever I can do without drawing suspicion."

She nodded. "Good luck."

He nudged Shaina. "You should come."

"No," she answered. "I have something more important to do." She stood and walked over to Seiya, placing a hand on his shoulder. "As Seiya's teacher, I'm commandeering him."

He looked up. "For what?"

"A field trip," she deadpanned. Seeing his confused expression, she elaborated. "To return the Dragon Cloth to its home. And then, to meet Mu of Jamir."

"That only leaves a couple of you," Saori said, doing a mental headcount. "Shun?"

"I don't know," he mumbled.

"I do!" June declared; when he looked up, she fixed him a wide smile. "We're going to Andromeda Island. You _do _want to see your brother, don't you?"

* * *

_Finally, a decent-length chapter! (And our heroes finally get a breather!)_

_Y'know, Jabu's been sort of pushing his own primary-motivation button for a while, like previously in this story it'd be his own thoughts spurring him on; I think this chapter is the first time someone else actually pushed that button._

**Q: **Hmmh, this is interesting though, Saori's body isn't ready for the power? I wonder what could be causing that, considering she didn't have much of a issue with it normally... You've got me intrigued... I wonder if its because she is trying to use it in combat, as opposed to just standing there and glaring at things.

**A: **That's pretty much it. In canon she was basically being sensible with how much divine power she could reasonably handle at this point (not a lot); you'll notice that in each story arc, she grows gradually more active, from being fairly useless a lot of the time during the first half of the series with hints of hidden depths (against Jamian, Aiolia and Saga, and never for too long), to seriously worrying Poseidon and withstanding his attacks, to directly taking on Hades multiple times, to being pretty consistently badass in Next Dimension (like, it even sets it up like the plotline's gonna be that she has to be saved again, but nope! She just gets more awesome! Although you can't find most of those more recent chapters in English at the moment, so if you want to read more than half of Next Dimension, better hope your French/Spanish/Japanese is pretty good).

Whereas here, she got drawn into using more power and getting more physically involved at this early stage, and it really took its toll on her.


	16. Chapter 16: Bared Fangs

**Chapter 16: Bared Fangs**

_We're back!_

_So, the previous "Next Dimension is continuing!" turned out to be a one-off special chapter, but it's for real this time! New chapter coming December 3__rd__, and from the teaser of a couple half-finished pages released, we're gonna see Ikki vs. Kaiser, much fun._

_And Soul of Gold was pretty fun in the end, eh?_

_EDIT: Thanks to the reviewer who pointed out the mistake in the first line below. Previously it said "Death Queen Island"; Andromeda Island is what I meant, and it has now been corrected._

* * *

Shaina leaned in the door; June was alone in the room, packing for the trip to Andromeda Island.

"Have you seen Seiya anywhere?"

June shook her head, giving a little smile. "Just follow the sounds of well-intentioned awkwardness. Or someone thrashing Jabu at videogames." She noticed Shaina hesitate before leaving, evidently trying to decide whether or not to bring up a more difficult topic of conversation. "Ugh, you can just say it. You don't like that I'm not following all the ancient customs." She chuckled. "One more noticeably than the others, but it doesn't end at that."

"I see no need to parrot at you what you've heard throughout your training," Shaina said bluntly. "As long as my displeasure is registered, then…"

"Allow me to retort, at least."

"You know I'm a traditionalist and a disciplinarian. I doubt your ability to sway me on matters such as this."

"I'm not going to try, but hear me out." June laid her bag down, turning and giving Shaina her full attention. "The rules Sainthood is founded on were established in the Age of Myth, in a time even the ancient Greeks considered the legendary past. This is no longer that world."

"That does not necessarily translate to—"

June put out a hand. "Please let me finish. We are different. Sanctuary is your home; a place that has changed little, if at all, since its founding. You are a product of that world. I am a product of this one, a world that is constantly moving and changing." She sighed. "I'm not going to argue which is better, about the march of progress versus the good old days or anything like that. But the world of the past is one in which if a woman wished to be a warrior, she'd have to hide her face behind a mask and practically ask to be thought of as a man—and to lock any shred of sexuality away behind rules and extremes and taboos.

"I am not passing judgement on these decisions. They were necessary at the time. Nor am I passing judgement on you for holding to them; where you were raised, things are still much the same as they were.

"But I do not believe that they are necessary anymore; like I said, the rest of the world has moved on. And more than that, I don't _want _them to be necessary." She stepped closer, staring into the metal gaze. "I won't hide. I _refuse_ to be anything less than all of what I am."

Shaina was silent for almost thirty seconds, then slowly extended a hand. "I misjudged you," she said as they shook. "I thought you lacked moral fibre, discipline…I see it was the opposite. Your beliefs differ from mine, but I admire your steadfastness in upholding them."

June grinned. "I _do _lack discipline. I'm just good at pretending I meant to do things."

* * *

Time passed all too quickly; Isaac, June, Shun and Toma had all left, and Seiya and Shaina had just finished preparing to go themselves.

They'd reached the gate marking the edge of the estate surrounding the house, when Shaina froze. "Wait…"

Seiya frowned at her. "What's the—gah!" The Cosmos that suddenly blazed to life back near the house was immense; worlds beyond anything he'd encountered in his life.

"No, that's…" Shaina mumbled. "The Pope…sent a Gold Saint?!"

"Is that what that is?" Seiya snarled, pounding a fist into his open hand. "Looks like we're not done yet."

"Wait, Seiya! There's nothing you can do against someone like this."

He ignored her, throwing his Clothbox down and donning the armour within. "Nothin' I can do by staying here and letting Saori and Jabu die, so either works, right?"

"Don't throw your life away!"

"_Don't push me!" _he shouted, taking off.

* * *

Jabu stood half-out of the doorway, sneering over at the new arrival. His armour was ornate, extensive, a brilliantly-shining golden colour. He had short, scruffy blond hair, and fearsome eyebrows that contributed greatly to his stern face.

"You a Gold Saint?" Jabu called, trying to sound unimpressed.

The man nodded. "Leo Aiolia. Remove yourself from my path."

"Like hell."

"Your turn will come. I have to confirm if you're all here first."

The young Bronze jabbed a finger Aiolia's way. "Hey buddy, dontcha know what 'trespassing' means? The Graude Foundation owns this land—get your ass gone!"

Aiolia didn't seem to hear him, his head tracking slowly left and right. "Three of you…this won't be my only stop, then. Still, with Cosmos like these, I can see how the assassination teams would have underestimated you. You're not ordinary Bronze Saints…"

"You damn right!" Jabu leapt at Aiolia—and seemed to pass straight through, rolling with the landing as he hit the ground on the other side. _Wh-What happened?!_

"Sit still for a minute." Aiolia half-turned, pointing an index finger at Jabu; there wasn't any movement he could see, just a flash of light, and then a horrendous impact slammed into him, hurling him back into the waiting arms of a Silver Saint hiding in the trees.

"Brought back-up?" Jabu growled, struggling to pull away.

"Hm?" Aiolia looked surprised. "Watchdogs? The Pope really doesn't trust me, then…"

* * *

"_Toma assures me that the Gold Cloth they have is fake, but be on the lookout just in case," the Pope, enshrouded by his robes and seated on his throne, warned Aiolia. "When your brother betrayed Athena thirteen years ago, the Aries and Libra Saints sided with him. We do not know if they are with this current group of traitors, but if so…with Sagittarius added, three of the Gold Cloths would be aligned against us!"_

"_Not a pleasant prospect," Aiolia agreed._

"_Regardless…the traitors—and their ringleader, the Kido girl—must die for their affronts to our holy law."_

"_Understood." Aiolia rose and headed for the door of the vast chamber—only to cross paths with another Gold Saint. "Scorpio Milo…what are you doing here?"_

"_These are dangerous times," Milo answered. "We've all been summoned to Sanctuary."_

_Aiolia lowered his voice, almost whispering. "A handful of upstart Bronzes has him this worried?"_

_Milo shrugged. "He's sending _you _to eradicate them. That's like sending a lion to slaughter rabbits. What do _you _think?"_

"_I can't blame him. To think they defeated two full squads of Silver Saints…"_

_Milo stepped away, addressing the Pope. "With respect, sir, allow me this mission." He shot a glance back at Aiolia. "If it involves his brother's…'legacy'…who knows what Aiolia will do. Maybe the same treacherous impulses will infect him too."_

_Aiolia froze on the spot, not turning around. "Are you questioning my loyalty, Milo?" There was danger in his voice._

_Milo folded his arms, unfazed. "I'm just saying what everyone's thinking. The older you get, the more you remind me of Aiolos. Which I would've said was a good thing, but after what he did…I guess it's the brightest lights that cast the darkest shadows."_

_Aiolia's hands clenched into fists; his teeth ground together, a furious hiss escaping from between them. His Cosmos began to flare up, shaking the entire Pope's chamber, cracks driving themselves into the ground around his feet._

_Milo stood his ground. "Go on. Prove me right, traitor. Hit me."_

_Aiolia whirled, golden light blazing around both fists, something wet glistening at the corner of one eye. "I JUST MIGHT!" he roared._

"_Enough!" the Pope commanded, pounding one of his armrests. "Aiolia, stand down. And Milo, not another word out of you."_

_They both faced him and bowed, calming down._

_He stood, descending the steps towards them. "I do trust Aiolia, Milo. _Because _of his family history, not in spite of it. I know he is eager to make up for that stain on his lineage, and as such a mission like this is perfect for him. Go, Aiolia, with my blessing; bring peace to the world."_

_Aiolia nodded, walking for the door again._

"_Milo, you stay," the Pope added. "I have a different mission for you."_

_Aiolia exited the chamber, closing the door behind him—only to be confronted with yet another Gold Saint, Cancer Deathmask._

"_Hard, isn't it?" the mean-faced man asked, giving a mischievous grin._

"_Don't talk to me," Aiolia grumbled._

"_Tch, so ruuuude," Deathmask trilled. "But I'm right, aren't I? You hate it when they call your brother 'traitor'. I mean, he _was _and you know it, but he was also your big brother! You can't hate someone who practically raised you, who was so kind and just for all those years…right? But you can't defend him, because you know they're right."_

_He leant back against the wall. "So, who do you end up hating? Aiolos? Us? Yourself? D, all of the above?"_

"_Did you come here solely to annoy me?" Aiolia asked, with remarkable self-control._

"_Nah, I got a mission too." Deathmask shrugged. "Apparently. Interesting times!"_

"_Good for you. If you'll excuse me, I have a lot of stairs to climb down." Aiolia marched off; there was an enchantment around Sanctuary's Zodiac Temples preventing most methods of quickly traversing or bypassing them, but once he was clear of the lowest temple he'd be able to make it to Japan in a fraction of a second, at a good sprint._

* * *

"You didn't know about this guy either?" Jabu asked, still fighting to escape the grapple. "So that's the kind of guy you work for?"

"The Pope has his reasons," Aiolia replied, not rising to the bait. "He is a just man, and I trust his judgement completely. Including the judgement he has passed on all of you."

"Bull!" Jabu grunted, counter-grabbing the Silver Saint and tossing him overhead.

The bulky, round-faced Saint landed upright, drawing one arm back and winding up for something. After a moment, his face screwed up almost comically in concentration, and he swung forwards, releasing an enormous, uncontrolled wave of power. "_Kornepheros!_"

He shook his arm—the only one armoured, as his Cloth was almost entirely asymmetrical—as it ached from the powerful blow. "Someone had to pay you kids back for our colleagues…and I, Heracles Algethi—"

"Oh, give it a rest!" Jabu yelled. The smoke cleared to reveal him dirtied but uninjured, blocking with both forearms, steam rising from his shredded sleeves. _Wow, that stings without my Cloth…that damn Capella, cutting it up like that…_

"That's—" Algethi began, but was silenced as Jabu sped forwards and, before he could react, rammed a fist into his gut, smashing through his Cloth and toppling him over backwards, where he lay unmoving.

Jabu stood up straight, massaging his knuckles. "I ain't done with you, Gold Saint, and neither your babysitter, or his two buddies, are gettin' in the way."

Aiolia's brow furrowed. "Two…?"

A pair of unconscious Silver Saints dropped from the treetops, hitting the ground limply; Seiya and Shaina jumped down after them, standing on either side of Jabu.

"Thank you," Aiolia said. "Now you're all in one place…that'll make this quicker." He looked back at the house. "Are Saori Kido and the Gold Cloth in there?"

"_Thunder Claw!" _came the reply, Seiya taking advantage of what seemed to be a momentary distraction. His barrage of blows, however, failed to hit anything, passing harmlessly through Aiolia—who seemed to be standing completely still.

"Please give me a minute," Aiolia said calmly, vaguely waving a hand in their direction. There was another flash, and they were all thrown to the floor.

"Aagh…" Jabu groaned. "It was like this before…what crazy powers does he have?"

"Attacks go through him, he can make light into a weapon somehow…" Seiya rubbed his head. "I can't figure it out."

Shaina unsteadily rose to her feet. "You're wrong. You're both assuming it's some kind of trick...because your minds can't fathom that someone could be as powerful as a Gold Saint is."

Seiya was the next to stand, hauling Jabu up and ignoring his protests. "What are you saying?"

"All he's doing is dodging your attacks—so fast you can't see him move at all," she explained. "And when you see that light, that's his fist, hand, finger, whichever…striking you before your eyes can pick up a thing."

"How's that possible?" Jabu protested.

"That's just the nature of the gulf between us," Aiolia weighed in. "While you're all flailing around at your Mach speeds, my attacks can circle the globe seven and a half times in a second."

"But that's—"

"The speed of light, yes. Be grateful didn't put my full strength into those attacks—you'd be dead already." He raised one arm, now forming a fist. "But I think it's time I disposed of you, traitors."

"You've been lied to, Aiolia!" Shaina said, advancing a step. "The only treachery is within Sanctuary! We can prove—"

"No more from you!" he bellowed. "This mission is my atonement. You can't stop me."

_Atonement? What's he talking—oh! If he'll just listen… _"Aiolia, your brother—"

"_Not a word about my brother!_" he snapped, flicking out his wrist; huge craters bored themselves into the ground in a circle around his three targets.

"Khh…" Seiya shrank back from the impacts, before recovering his resolve and standing firm again. "C'mon, guys. Let's at least try."

"Are you insane?!" Shaina burst out.

"Maybe," he admitted. "But look, you're one of the strongest Silvers. And Jabu and I reached a whole new level of power recently. _I _think we've at least got a shot."

"For once I like your thinking!" Jabu agreed.

"Might as well die fighting," Shaina decided. "All right, release your Cosmos!"

Energy poured out of their bodies, coalescing into three pillars of light, rising above the treeline and standing out starkly against the evening sky.

They reached forwards in unison, a combined burst of Cosmos erupting from their fingertips; Aiolia gave a bored look, catching it one-handed and negating it with no effort at all.

Then there was a blur and he was behind them, that same hand still extended, fingers splayed out, tiny arcs of light playing around it. A moment later, they felt the impacts of his strikes and collapsed, crying out in pain.

Seiya tried to rise, but immediately collapsed again, the world spinning around him. _He did so much damage…with one pass…_

"The next one will be the last," Aiolia promised, approaching his downed victims.

"Wait!"

Saori stood framed in the doorway of her house; in one hand, she held a tall golden-topped staff. With the other, she placed the Sagittarius Clothbox on the ground.

"Trying to bargain for their lives?" Aiolia asked. _Futile…I can just take the box at any time._

She shook her head. "Evening the odds." She gestured towards the box with her staff, and as if on command, it burst open. The Cloth's statue form looked different now, sleeker, that of a winged centaur wielding a bow-and-arrow. Its true appearance, shorn of the disguise Mu had covered it with, had revealed itself.

It broke apart, each piece flying through the air, on Saori's mental command heading directly for Seiya. Sensing what was happening, his Pegasus Cloth detached itself, allowing Sagittarius to cover him, a golden glow washing over him, great metal wings stretching back from his shoulders, the crown-like circlet resting on his forehead.

He flexed his arms, staring down at himself. _This power…it's… _A shudder ran through his body. An odd look entered his eyes. A cruel grin crossed his face. "Heheheh…" His voice was cold, distant.

"What?!" Saori stared in shock. _It's that same bloodlust…why is it resurfacing now?!_

"This is amazing," he whispered, looking over at Aiolia. "You're dead now, buddy—_aaaah!_" He suddenly keeled over, falling to his hands and knees, sweat covering his body, steam rising from his back. "What…no…" The Sagittarius Cloth began to shake—then left him, flying off his body in pieces and rising into the air. Seiya collapsed again, writhing and screaming as if the Gold Cloth's very touch had burned him.

The strange occurrences didn't let up—a golden column of light enveloped Jabu, lifting him into the air. Sagittarius swirled in towards him, pieces clamping onto his body one after the other. The fit was much better this time, as if it had been made for him.

He descended, the wings tucking in slightly as he landed, feeling new vitality surge through him. Wearing the Gold Cloth was like nothing he'd ever felt before; power enough to shake the heavens.

"You won't do any better!" Aiolia insisted, rushing Jabu. _It'll take a full-force blow to hurt him through that Cloth, though…_

"_Lightning Bolt!_" He threw a punch, Cosmos rushing down his limb and escaping in a wave of light and levelling a huge swathe of the forest where he'd been aiming. Jabu was no longer there, though; he'd leapt up out of the way, and was now sailing back down towards Aiolia.

"_Hyah!" _He came down foot-first, his kick throwing Aiolia back several steps. Jabu landed neatly in front of the Gold Saint, raising both fists. "C'mon!"

Saori continued to look on in disbelief. _What happened? Come to it…it just seemed obvious that it would be Seiya…we don't know their exact birthdates, but usually a Saint's character and Cloth can tell you their star sign…_

_Seiya's isn't Sagittarius? And Jabu's is? But more than that…the Cloth didn't just reject Seiya, it all but _attacked _him…_

_What's going on here?!_

* * *

_Okay, so yes, in canon, Seiya's star sign is indeed Sagittarius (and Jabu's is Scorpio). But you know how this story's divergence point from canon is to do with their 'destinies'? And how a Saint's destiny is determined by the stars they were born under?_

_See where I'm going with this?_

_Yup, some of the signs are different here! We've already seen some evidence of this—since Shun got the Phoenix Cloth and was accepted by it, he must have been born under Phoenix in this alternate timeline, rather than Andromeda. (Although that's the only instance, since it can be assumed that Hyoga and Isaac were already both set for Cygnus, and Marin and Toma were both Aquila.)_

_So yeah. I do have plans for where I'm going with this._

_(And just for clarification, a Saint has two constellations, one they were directly born under, as in the constellation that was directly above their birthplace at the time they were born, e.g. Pegasus, and one that's their zodiac sign, based on which twelfth of the year they were born in, e.g. Sagittarius. This is how a Silver or Bronze Saint can be promoted to Gold, and on the other hand why other than in Omega which likes changing up the 'rules', you'll never see a Saint go from Bronze to Silver. Of course, it's also entirely possible to be born directly under one of the twelve zodiac signs and have that one constellation be both, in which case I guess you can only be a Gold Saint. Aim high!)_


	17. Chapter 17: Full Force

**Chapter 17: Full Force**

_I edited a line in the previous chapter slightly after a review pointed out I had June saying "Death Queen Island" when it should've been "Andromeda Island"._

* * *

Jabu rushed at Aiolia, hoping to strike before the Gold Saint could recover; he didn't make it in time, though, and Aiolia grabbed his incoming arm, flipping him overhead. Jabu spun in the air, landing upright and turning on his heel; they both lashed out, striking each other across the face in a clean cross-counter.

Aiolia took a step back—and spotted the building energy around Jabu's other hand too late, a second punch streaking at him. He blocked cross-armed, sliding back across the glade with steam billowing from his arm-guards.

Saori watched intently, shocked. _I hadn't hoped for anything like this, even with Sagittarius' help...he's standing up to that Gold Saint—no, he's better!_

"This Cloth is somethin' else!" Jabu crowed, resuming his stance. "Now get on outta here like I toldja, or start apologising for pulling this crap in front of Athena herself!"

"Athena?" Aiolia snorted. "Don't give me that. Athena is home in Sanctuary…I've been warned there'd be a pretender here."

"Pretentious bastard…" Jabu charged him again, but his next blow was caught, coming to a shuddering halt.

"The Gold Cloth is real, at least…" Aiolia said, still sounding confident. "I suppose I've got no choice…I'll have to go all-out to put you down."

Jabu cringed a little. "Or you could not? Just throwing that out ther—"

"_Teyaaah—!_" Aiolia threw Jabu's arm back, ramming a blow into his now-unguarded chestplate that landed him on the ground.

Jabu scrambled up just as Aiolia reached him again; Jabu took a half-step back, swinging a desperate kick up into Aiolia's incoming arm, knocking it off-course and letting him avoid the attack. However, Aiolia's other arm came around, crackling with accumulated power, letting it loose in an explosion of golden light.

"_Lightning Bolt!"_

Jabu used his extended leg to push away, trying to propel himself out of the path of the attack—he succeeded only partially, flung off to the side like a rag-doll by the inexorable wall of destruction that rolled past him, roaring off towards the horizon.

He pushed himself up to his hands and knees, then fell again, giving a weak groan. _Just a glancing hit…did that much damage…_

_I guess I really can't fight somebody like this…_

Aiolia relaxed his stance. "Make no mistake. A borrowed Cloth won't make you a Gold Saint. Allow me to finish—"

"Hold." The word was calmly spoken, yet cut across the noise of Aiolia's crackling energy; the Gold Saint felt his eyes suddenly drawn over towards Saori, who had taken a couple of steps forward, now standing over Seiya. She crouched down and touched his forehead, a gentle light passing from her hand into him, quieting his pained groans and letting him slip into peaceful sleep.

She stood, levelling her staff at Aiolia. "I don't like to fight while I'm still developing my power like this…but you're giving me no choice. Step away from Jabu."

"'Developing your power'?" Aiolia repeated. "I guess you mean you haven't completed Saint training…how, then, do you intend to make me comply?"

"Why don't you find out?" She set her jaw, drawing herself up. "If you're going to attack someone, attack me."

He raised his fist, pointing it towards her as if aiming a pistol. "The Pope said 'dead or alive' for you, Kido…if you insist on this resistance, it'll be the latter."

"Come!" she insisted.

"_Lightning Bolt!" _He let loose the concentrated attack once more, a huge column of light and force blasting out from his seemingly-stationary fist towards her.

She screwed her eyes almost shut as she slammed her staff into the ground, vibrations running up and down her body as the attack collided with her—or nearly did. Shortly before touching her, it parted around her, repelled by some invisible barrier and discharging its force into the villa behind her, carving out large chunks of the building. Breathing raggedly with the effort of maintaining this defence, she gave a final mental push, her grip tightening on the staff; her aura exploded outwards, shattering what remained of Aiolia's blow and leaving her unharmed, though exhausted.

Aiolia flinched back, confused beyond belief. _She stopped it…and this Cosmos now coming from her…it's even greater than mine! But the only person with a Cosmos exceeding the twelve Gold Saints is… _"H-Hey, don't tell me you're—"

She nodded, leaning on the staff as she caught her breath. "I am no pretender, Aiolia."

"A-Athena!" He fell to his knees, clutching his head in both hands. "And I tried to…" He slammed a fist into the ground, shaking the forest. More and more dominoes kept falling in his head. "If you're here, then the 'Athena' the Pope has in Sanctuary…"

Saori gave a gasp, sinking to the ground, pain blossoming throughout her body. "This is why…I don't like to fight yet. It will take time before my human body can fully accept godhood…I know I will have to confront the Pope eventually, and I must save as much strength as I can for that day." She looked over to Aiolia. "He says he has Athena in Sanctuary?"

He nodded. "Of course, she performs the role of 'oracle', resides in her private chambers, and only communicates with him…all too clear now," he spat. "She doesn't even exist." He shook his head. "I've been such a fool."

"It's easy to believe a lie when it's drilled into you from childhood," she replied. "It's not your fault."

He continued to think. "Then if the Pope's version of events is a lie…my brother! Please…if you know what really happened…"

She smiled. "Aiolos was a great man. He was the one who saved me from the Pope's assassination attempt…he left me and the Gold Cloth to Mr. Kido, enabling all this to happen."

Aiolia was silent for a while. Finally, he stood up, not facing any of them until he'd wiped his eyes. "I apologise for my actions." He picked Seiya up under one arm and Jabu under the other, carrying them over to the house and setting them down resting against the wall, while Shaina took Saori by the arm and helped her over.

"Give my apologies to Seiya when he wakes up," Aiolia said as he turned to go. "I was distraught when I heard what he had done…I'm glad my old friend hasn't strayed off the righteous path after all."

"You knew Seiya back at Sanctuary?" Jabu asked.

"Peripherally," Shaina cut in. "I thought he was a bad influence…too simple-minded."

"I don't think he needed my help in _that _regard," Aiolia laughed.

At that moment, the Sagittarius Cloth sprung off of Jabu's body, reassembling in statue form before floating back over into its box.

"Whoa…" Jabu looked down at himself, suddenly feeling his injuries more clearly. "Even besides the energy in the Cloth…I feel like I just lost a lot of power."

Saori nodded. "You wouldn't have done so well against Aiolia with just Sagittarius. That wasn't entirely your own power…it felt like something else came out of the Cloth."

"You don't think…" Aiolia began, hesitating.

"I do," she agreed. "Aiolos couldn't bear to see his brother making such a huge mistake."

Aiolia bowed his head for a second. _Even in death…you're still looking out for me. _He made for the gate, sweeping up the cape he'd discarded upon arrival and hanging it back around his shoulders. "I'm going to Sanctuary."

"It's dangerous—"

"The Pope _will_ answer to me," he insisted. "Only follow when you are all ready. However long it takes, I'll meet you there." He began to speed up, instantly vanishing into a streak of light and disappearing over the horizon.

Jabu sighed, patting the Sagittarius Clothbox. "Guess I'm not ready to properly wear this, huh…Aiolos was just using me to channel his spirit."

"It probably won't happen again anytime soon," Shaina agreed. "In any case, this proves that the Pope won't sit idly. Aiolia may not be the last assassin." She gave Seiya a nudge with her foot. "As soon as he wakes up, the two of us are leaving as planned."

* * *

_Andromeda Island…_

Ikki sat cross-legged in front of the Andromeda Clothbox, looking up at its raised position at the top of the rocky slope, deep in thought.

_Surrender…and self-sacrifice…_

He sighed. "I can't do it…"

"Not as you are now, no." Cepheus Albiore, Silver Saint and master of the island, came and sat down next to him, tucking his long hair back behind his ornate blue headpiece and smiling at his pupil. "And you know why."

"My mindset, yes," Ikki grumbled.

"Exactly!" Albiore patted his shoulder. "Ikki, you have tremendous willpower and a fierce spirit. You'll keep fighting until you've got nothing left." He shook his head. "That's like trying to break through an immovable object with your head—just trying again and again won't be enough." He indicated the box. "Victory is never certain. Sometimes all we can do is try our best and hope for a glorious death."

"That's pretty morbid," Ikki chuckled.

"That it is," his teacher agreed. "But that's what the Andromeda Cloth requires. The willingness to sacrifice yourself. Your mind won't even accept the possibility. If you ever died in battle…you'd probably be one of those people you hear about, whose bodies keep fighting for a while before realising they've been killed."

Ikki stood, turning around and peering off towards the coast. "…someone's approaching the island."

Albiore nodded. "You finally sensed it…your detection ability's improving."

"June, and someone else…someone strong."

"Not _that _strong."

Ikki beamed. "Stronger than when I last saw him."

* * *

Shun practically flew out of the boat, tackle-hugging Ikki; after several minutes of simple, unbridled joy, six years' worth of catching up commenced. It wasn't all easy—especially for Shun to tell his story, and for Ikki to hear it—but every horror of the past he recounted seemed so much smaller now he was sitting here, surrounded by friends and family.

"When I first met Shun, I thought he was just 'you gone wrong'," June admitted to Ikki. "All that hate and aggression…it reminded me of how forceful you can be. But that was never really _him_…when I started meeting the real Shun, I could barely believe you two were related."

"I think…it's not entirely foreign to me…" Shun hazarded. "It was brought _out _of me, so it exists in me. I can still feel it a little…but it gets weaker every day." He smiled. "You always used to tell me not to cry so much, Ikki. But I think I'm glad to be a crybaby again."

Ikki nodded. "I'm glad too. Good to have you back, baby brother...cry all you want."

* * *

Shun awoke to find himself outside, shivering a little—the cold must've been what woke him, since it was still the middle of the night. They'd gone to bed in tents around a fireplace, and now he lay on the rocky coast, as best as he could tell. _Who moved me…?_

He looked up, seeing Albiore sitting a few metres away, sipping tea. "Ah, you're up," the Silver Saint said, offering Shun a steaming cup of the same.

Shun took it, nodding politely. "Is, uh, there something you wanted?"

"Dry your face," Albiore said kindly.

Shun reached up, felt that his cheeks were wet. "Crying…in my sleep?"

"You're a boy with a lot on your mind, I think."

"You could say that…uh, sir." He began to drink the tea, answering slowly. "I've been wondering…who the real me is…how far I'm to blame for what I've done…and—"

"None of that is important now," Albiore said, cutting him off. "What's important is that you're going about this wrong. You're just repressing your anger. Pushing it down inside you and trying to pretend it doesn't exist." He gave Shun a stern look. "You can't keep something that powerful bottled up forever…and besides, the imbalance is preventing you from reaching your full potential."

Shun nodded. "I know…there's more power in me, that I can't reach. Everything just feels…all twisted up. Not quite right."

"I can see that. If you like, you can train with Ikki and me for a while—he has a ways to go, too. I can teach you to deal with things the right way."

"I'd appreciate that, sir."

"All right." Albiore stood. "The first lesson is acceptance. Of who you are, _all _of who you are. There will be things you don't like about yourself, but the important thing is the whole they add up to. In your case, it's positive overall." He held out one hand, gathering his Cosmos around it, the light of the stars flashing out from between his fingers. "There is malice in everyone. Don't let it control you, but acknowledge its existence along with the rest. Only when every part of you is behind an action, working in unison—"

He lunged, throwing a downwards chop that rent the air, the shockwave it threw out carving a deep slice into the ground beside them. "—can you truly give it 100%."

Shun stared in wonder. _His power…none of the Silver Saints we've met so far were like this. His training must be a cut above!_

"Well…I'm going to bed," Albiore decided, retrieving his tea and draining the rest. "I suggest you give it a few tries before you turn in."

"You said Ikki would be training with us…what about June?" Shun asked, stopping him.

"I reckon so. She looks like she has her mind set on learning something—I saw that gleam in her eyes."

"Do you have any idea what?"

"None at all. But I'm very much looking forward to finding out."

* * *

The hike back to his training grounds had taken Isaac a few hours, but more than anywhere else he felt completely at home in Siberia's freezing winds, scarcely noticing the cold even in his bare-armed attire.

"Is it conscious, or did you come here on autopilot?"

Isaac turned towards the source of the voice, facing the indistinct figure with an unflinching expression. "What do you mean?"

Aquarius Camus, resplendent in his Gold Cloth, his clear eyes twinkling with wisdom beyond his years, emerged from the blizzard, approaching Isaac. "This is the exact spot that we lost Hyoga."

Isaac's stony face flickered for a moment. "…I see."

"Put it out of your mind, Isaac. The past is the past. Dwelling on it will only hold you back."

"Yes, sir."

"I'm not sure you mean that."

"I can't promise anything, but I _will _try."

"Anyway…" Camus snapped his fingers, and the wind died down instantly, full visibility returning to the tundra. "The way I hear it, you never completed your mission."

"To say the least," Isaac agreed. "The situation—"

Camus held up a hand, stopping him. "I trust your judgement in the matter. But there is still unease in Sanctuary, so I can only assume things haven't resolved themselves yet. Why, then, have you returned?"

"To request more training, sir," Isaac answered bluntly. "Soon, I must go to Sanctuary. To meet my friends, and fight against the Pope with Athena."

"I see." Camus considered this for a minute. "Forgive me if I hesitate to take your word over the Pope's. But if you are truly Sanctuary's enemy, then I forbid you from going."

"Master Camus—"

"I forbid it!" the Gold Saint snapped, raising his voice for the first time. "You will be going to your death."

"I shouldn't have come here." Isaac turned away. "I'm leaving for Japan."

"You're not going anywhere." A faint aura shimmered to life around Camus. "If I have to use force to keep you safe, I will."

"Do you think I'm a child playing games…?" Isaac dumped his Clothbox on the ground, pulling it open and letting the Cygnus Cloth cover his body, most of its previous damage healed by its self-repair process. "I'm serious about this."

"So I see."

"Even if you are my master…you are impeding the only mission that matters." Isaac turned back, raising his fists. "I'll fight by Athena's side if I have to do it over your dead body!"

"Come on, then!" Camus barked, the blizzard whipping back up as he summoned up his Cosmos. "Show me your conviction, Isaac!"

* * *

_See, I do update…eventually…in all seriousness, it takes me a while to get to work on a chapter, but once I do it comes together pretty quick._

**Q: **Nice chapter. I didn't think that the zodiac signs of some characters would change. Will the Ophiucus Cloth be a former Gold Cloth, like it is in ND?

**A: **Well, that's canon and there's no compelling reason to contradict it, so yes.

**Q: **Awesome chapter. Noticed a few mistakes (I assume you meant Andromeda Island instead of Death Queen Island and "Come to think of it" instead of "Come to it").

Anyway, please keep writing. Really excited for the reunion with Shun and Ikki. Please, PLEASE do something cute. I beg you!

One last thing: Someone's going to be breaking into Star Hill, right? So, I'm wondering if it's going to be Shaina (since she's Seiya's teacher now) or Toma (since he kinda takes Marin's place) or, possibly, someone else?

**A: **Yup, thanks for spotting the island mix-up, as noted I've corrected that. "Come to it" is a valid expression though (it means the same thing as "Come to think of it" and is basically an abbreviation).

I dunno about cute, but…heartwarming, maybe? A little? I dunno…I tried!

As for your last question…maybe…actually we'll see some happenings at Sanctuary in the very next chapter, so that might answer your question.


	18. Chapter 18: Objects in Motion

**Chapter 18: Objects in Motion**

_Been reading Saintia Sho recently. It's pretty fun! I had the thought to include some stuff from it, but I probably won't simply because a lot of fans won't have read it._

_But yeah, uh, if you can read French or Spanish, go ahead and give it a buy._

_Or you lucky Americans with your regional licensing (grumble), go ahead and watch the original Saint Seiya on Crunchyroll. Which you can now._

* * *

Jabu spun three-quarters of a circle, weaving around an imaginary blow.

_Next time I meet a Gold, it'll be different! Throw your life on the line, go all-in…that's what it means to be a Saint!_

He threw an uppercut, a bolt of light streaking up through the air, the space above him crackling with charged particles he'd unleashed.

_With fists that rend the sky!_

He followed through, resuming his stance before moving into a stamp kick, driving a deep furrow into the ground in front of him.

_And kicks that split the earth!_

"You're working hard, I see."

He turned at the familiar voice, smiling back at Saori. "Just a warm-up."

"Shouldn't you take it easy for a few days?" she asked.

"Nah, I'm fine," he scoffed, thumping his chest. "Picture'a health, me."

"Heh." She grew serious. "Jabu, we…need to talk."

"…uh?"

"You might be holding yourself back."

* * *

"You're afraid," Camus said simply.

"No," Isaac snapped.

"You are."

"_Diamond Dust!" _Isaac rocked back on his heels, throwing his arm forwards and releasing an expanding blast of frozen air.

Camus opened one hand, drawing Isaac's attack in and reducing it to nothing with simple mental impulses. Isaac kept on firing, though, pumping out more and more Cosmos-infused ice, legs bending further and further as the kickback grew more intense.

"Is this all you can think to do?" the Gold Saint asked. "Gold Cloths don't freeze until they reach Absolute Zero. Even I can't reduce something to that temperature. What, exactly, are you hoping to accomplish?"

At this, Isaac laughed. "Let me answer your question with a question. Have you been paying attention to my other hand?"

Camus' eyes widened as he saw Isaac's left arm, stretched back behind his half-bent body, seemingly just for balance—but in fact, streams of energy flowed out from his fingertips, easily darting through the frozen ground and emerging about Camus' feet and ankles, freezing him in place.

"I know I can't beat you head-on, master…so all I have to do is anticipate your movements. _Koltso!_" Isaac flicked out a finger, rings of ice forming around Camus' free arm at the movement, preventing the senior Saint from counter-attacking.

Camus was clearly reeling from being outsmarted like this—for just a moment, he was off-guard.

_Now! _Isaac seized his moment, crossing the distance between them and gathering his power. "I won't kill you, but please—stay down until I'm gone! _Aurora Thunder—"_

Camus closed his eyes. "Impressive," he murmured.

"—_Attack!_"

The charged-up punch hit home in a spray of pale blue light…then rebounded, Isaac skidding back several feet, trying to steady his aching wrist. _He must've moved his head at the last second…made me strike his headpiece…_

"Very impressive, yes." Camus turned the left side of his face towards Isaac, showing that this was not the case—the impression left by Isaac's fist was right there on his skin, yet he was still unaffected.

"N-No!" Isaac protested.

"I'm sorry, Isaac…but I predicted your attacks." Camus snapped his fingers, the _Koltso _rings vanishing, then took two casual steps forwards, breaking free from the ice at his feet. "I wanted to see what you could do if I let you. You exceeded my expectations."

"Damn it all…" Isaac hissed. "At least treat me like a real opponent…counter-attack already…"

"I already have." Camus gestured up at the roaring sky. "When I created this snowstorm as we prepared to fight, did you think I was just being dramatic? You want to talk about thinking ahead? You lost before you launched your first attack."

Isaac's eyes widened as the snow crystals buzzing around him began to gleam, Camus' Cosmos radiating from every flake.

"This is the true…" Camus let his hand drop, the entire blizzard forming into miniature icy blades and raking across Isaac's body from every direction. "Diamond Dust."

* * *

"Seiya killed Shiryu, I'm told."

"I wouldn't put the blame entirely on his shoulders, but…it was by his hand," June confirmed.

"Hm." Ikki stood and stretched, before facing the slowly-lightening sky across the sea. "I wish I'd known Shiryu better. He never spoke much…" He didn't turn back towards her. "What do you make of Seiya?"

"I know his circumstances, and I know _he _knows the weight of his actions. I trust him, as he is now." Her words came slowly, carefully considered.

"Hmm." Ikki gave a sigh. "I'll have to decide for myself when I meet him."

"When will that be?"

"When I fulfil a six-year promise, and return to a certain bitch of a goddess, as the Andromeda Saint."

* * *

Sanctuary was normally a welcome sight; polished marble columns, yells of enthusiasm signifying a sparring match, the joy of seeing a promising trainee with a freshly-won Cloth…everything seemed false to Aiolia, now. Lackluster. Hollow.

It was like removing a colour-filter you'd had over your vision the whole time. Everything had seemed idyllic before, but now he saw decay everywhere. The aspirants were more brutal every year. "Peacekeeping" missions became harder to defend as anything approaching that. Regulations got tighter, punishments harsher. All in the name of order, and slowly enough not to alarm.

And of course, _he _was everywhere. Everything was in his name. Oh, they _said _Athena's, but they didn't mean it. How often did they spare a proper thought for the goddess, these days?

He spotted Toma, leaning against a column in the shadow of a half-ruined dome and giving a curt nod of acknowledgment. Aiolia approached, glancing around to make sure no-one was in earshot.

"Do you know where he is?"

Toma pointed towards the entrance. "Healing the sick. Same as every other week."

"Is he sincere in it?" Aiolia wondered. "Or just keeping up appearances?"

"I'm really not sure…it's like half the time he's what we all thought he was, and half the time something's off. You know what I mean?"

Aiolia gave this some thought. "Actually…I think I do."

"Maybe that's why there's dissent slowly spreading," Toma mused. "Even while most of us worship the damn ground he walks on…depends which version of him you talk to, I'd guess."

"I always thought it was just exaggeration," Aiolia almost laughed. "It sounded insane to doubt someone like that."

"You know they found the body of one of his attendants?"

"…no."

"Figures. I had to ask a lot of guards to get the specifics. Official word is, it was an accident." He looked up. "And speak of the devil."

A robed, helmeted figure strode up the path into Sanctuary, followed by a small crowd of cheering men and women, singing his praises and tossing flowers. They were eventually turned back by perimeter guards, leaving the figure to head up towards the main Sanctuary complex alone.

"No time like the present," Aiolia growled, taking a step forwards—but Toma blocked him with an arm across his chest.

"_Think_, fool!" he hissed. "I know you're angry, but you'll have every Saint for ten miles around dogpiling you if you attack him out in the open like that."

"Then—"

"Just go to your scheduled debriefing. It's not a certainty, but if you can defeat him quick enough, you'll have some truths to present if anyone _is _alerted."

"What about you?"

Toma smiled. "If there's anything that's too much for you to handle, there's sure as hell nothing _I _can do to help. I'll keep on investigating like I have been…this one might be risky, though, so I'll try and line it up for when you've got him occupied." Aiolia gestured for him to elaborate. "Well, if there's evidence anywhere, it's nowhere we've ever been. Could be somewhere in his private chambers—you've got that part covered. But where else can only the Pope go, Athena excepting?"

"Star Hill." Aiolia snapped his fingers on the realisation.

"Right. I'll give it a look."

"It's enchanted," Aiolia warned. "The only safe way in is _from _his private chambers. You'll have to climb."

"Indeed."

"Won't be easy, even for a Saint."

"Yup. Enchantment and all."

"Mm."

They stood there in silence for a while, conversation having trailed off into an awkward stoic silence; finally, they silently agreed they were done here, nodded to each other, and set off for their respective goals.

* * *

Jabu tried to stay calm, sitting across from Saori, a serious look on her face. He did not succeed.

"S-So…"

"I'll get to the point," she said kindly. "You clearly have a great depth of feeling for me. I appreciate that."

"Well, uh, y'know," he stammered, "it's not really—"

"But that can be a problem," she continued, causing him to trail off. "You shouldn't define yourself by another person."

"It, uh…it's worked so far…"

"To an extent, yes," she agreed. "Your devotion let you draw out a lot of your potential. But a single drive will only carry you so far. I'm not asking you to completely change how you feel, just…it's okay to think of yourself every now and then, right?"

He drummed his fingers on an armrest. "I…guess…"

"Just let yourself be your own person, is all I'm saying. You've had a rough start to life, a lot set out for you…but you have the chance now, to choose what kind of person _you _want to grow into."

* * *

"I have a debriefing scheduled."

"The Pope will not be receiving visitors for a few more minutes—"

"Out of my way!" Aiolia snarled.

The guards flinched back at this, but remained firm. "I-I'm sorry, sir," one said. "I really can't let you—"

"Very well." In the time it took them to blink, Aiolia was behind them, striding through the door. As they turned to shout after him, their spears exploded into splinters and their armour fell away in pieces, terrifying them into silence.

Aiolia slammed the door shut behind him, marching down the long, ornately-styled hall towards the Pope's throne.

"What's this commotion about, Aiolia?" Sanctuary's leader asked, his voice calm and pleasant. "And in addition to your rudeness…I have the strangest feeling that not a single one of your targets is dead. Whyever might this be?"

"DON'T PLAY GAMES WITH ME!" Aiolia roared, the ground splitting at his feet, the cracks racing across the room and reaching right up to the throne—whereupon the Pope stood, stopping the outburst of Aiolia's power with a quick gesture.

"Childishness," he chided. "Or even…treason?"

Aiolia drew his fist back, glowering. "The only traitor here is you. You underestimated how developed Athena's power would be." Sparks of energy circled his body. "I know everything."

"I sincerely doubt that," the Pope laughed. "You only say that because there is so much that you don't even _know _you don't know."

"You won't talk your way out of this."

"Are you sure? Be reasonable, Aiolia. This won't end well for you." The Pope began a slow advance. "Rejoin me. All you have to do is forget what you heard in Japan. Athena is weak! But together, our strength can be unparalleled. We can rule this world in place of the gods—protect humanity with our _own _hands."

Aiolia closed his eyes. "I hope you're joking. You betray our sacred mission, have my brother murdered, make us all live a lie for thirteen years…and you still think you have some kind of moral high ground?"

"_Think, you damned fool!" _the Pope spat.

It was too late; Aiolia struck, a thunderous crack echoing down the stone halls, several of the wall-hanging tapestries catching fire from the aftershocks.

The Pope was rocked back several steps, his throne toppling over, but managed to catch Aiolia's fist before it struck home. "You're serious, I see…"

He ducked into a crouch, placing his free hand on Aiolia's stomach and releasing a sudden burst of power that hurled the Gold Saint halfway back across the chamber, his feet carving up the stone floor as he dug in for purchase.

Aiolia gasped, wavering on his feet, touching a hand to the ground for balance. _So fast—!_

"Are you done?" the Pope asked.

"I'm barely started," Aiolia growled. Then, a smile slowly crossed his face. "I knew something was off."

The Pope stared at him, not replying.

He stood up straight. "Those weren't the movements of an old man. Even an old man who used to be a Gold Saint. So thank you, for answering a question that's been preying on my mind: _'Why would Aries Shion, hero of the last Holy War, turn on Athena?' _Though you've said you don't like that name anymore…_'I prefer being known simply by my position'_, I think was what you said?"

"If you have something to say, say it!"

"You're not him…you've never been." He pointed an accusatory finger at the robed figure. "Who are you? What did you do to Pope Shion?"

A low chuckle emanated from within the helmet. "Behind you," he almost whispered.

"Wha—" Aiolia overcame his surprise just in time to turn and face the sudden flare of light as another gold-clad figure entered the room: Virgo Shaka, arcs of power surging about his joined hands.

"This is inexcusable, Aiolia," he said, his expression unmoving. "To raise a hand against the Pope is to make an enemy of Sanctuary."

"Shaka! That's not the Pope!"

"Oh?" Shaka inclined his head, reaching out with his mind. "I'm afraid I do not believe you. As always, there is nothing but good in his heart."

"How are you _doing _that?!" Aiolia demanded of the false Pope.

He declined to answer, giving a mocking wave. "Shaka, I will return momentarily. Something has come to my attention. Occupy him until then."

He left through the backdoor, listening with no little glee to the sound of titans clashing behind him.

_You were outmanoeuvred, Aiolia. I scheduled Shaka's meeting at almost the same time as yours to prepare for _precisely _this eventuality._

_Well, _I _want to trust him, _the other voice in his head chimed in. _But it's hard, with you gnawing at me from inside. You don't trust anyone._

_And I was right! Aiolia turned on us!_

_Because _we _turned on Athena!_

_Begone! _The currently-dominant voice snapped. _You were useful for fooling Shaka, but I'm in the driver's seat today, so leave me alone. _This seemed to work, and he was left to his own thoughts.

_Anyway…Shaka and Aiolia are both exemplars among Saints. Other than myself, and perhaps the old hermit in Goroho, there are none mightier._

_With such immense power, so closely matched, they could've ended up destroying each other in an instant. _Evidently not, since the roar of godlike combat continued to echo from behind him. _Then, there is only one other outcome, when two Golds are so evenly matched…_

* * *

A deadlock almost beyond comprehension. Every muscle strained to capacity against the opponent's, every minor movement matched, focus so intense the world outside you and your enemy falls away completely. Hands pushing against each other with the force to move mountains, legs tensed to match and counter their footwork exactly, arcs of Cosmos emerging from each of them and meeting in the middle. This kind of clash could continue for months—years.

The kind of struggle you'd read about in legend. In Sanctuary, they had a name for it:

The Thousand-Day War.

* * *

"Grh…!" Toma nearly lost his grip, hugging the cliff-face as another gust of wind buffeted him. With a final effort, he reached up and grasped the top of Star Hill at last—only for a booted foot to stamp down painfully onto his fingers.

"Tch, tch…" the Pope sighed, shaking his head. "This really is getting out of hand." He crouched down, flashing a grin from within the shade of his helmet. "Now, what am I going to do with you…"

* * *

_Next chapter: Seiya and Shaina's road trip, and maybe the conclusion of the Andromeda Island stuff! And then, after all that…big things. Things we've been gearing up towards for a while._

**Q: **That reminds me, one of your changes in particular gave rise to many questions. The first one, to be exact. Maybe I'm wrong, but I do recall that Seiya and Shaina were the same age, since when Seiya first came to Greece to train under Marin, she was still a saint - in - training, I think. Is that different in your story as well? Did they met the first time when he presented to her as her apprentice? Or did they met when he sneaked into the gymnasium like we've seen in the anime? If that's the case, did he came to Greece right before she was promoted, and their previous encounter was the reason for her reluctance to teach him? And the fact that she became her teacher changed her feelings, caused or strengthened them?

**A: **In canon, Shaina is three years older than Seiya, although some flashbacks call a lot of the canon ages into question (the scene when Seiya arrives at Sanctuary, Marin—who's the same age as Shaina—is supposed to be 10 but she looks basically like she does in the present…at a guess, Kurumada hadn't decided the ages yet?). But some weirdness aside, ages here are the same as in canon.

As for Seiya and Shaina's relationship, they have a very different dynamic here. Their interactions in canon were brief and dramatic, and gave rise to very intense feelings. They're more comfortable around each other, as master and student (and they temper each other, Shaina softening some of Seiya's naiveté and Seiya defrosting Shaina a little). It's unlikely to develop into anything romantic here, though that might just be because I don't have any particular interest in writing romance as far as Saint Seiya goes? I have no objection to it in general, but there were never any couples in this show that were a focal point to me.

(Oh, and they first met when he initially got to Sanctuary and was assigned to her, yeah.)


	19. Chapter 19: Gold Dust

**Chapter 19: Gold Dust**

_I'm gonna be calling Shiryu's master "Dohko" a lot, by the way. I know the original series doesn't name him until later (is it Poseidon or Hades?), but "Roshi" just means "old master" and I'd get the urge to translate it, but "Hello, Old Master" sounds weird. "Roshi" is also associated with the Dragon Ball character in my mind. So I hope nobody minds me using "Dohko" (pretty sure the only reason he wasn't called it earlier is because Kurumada hadn't thought of it yet)._

* * *

Seiya put out a hand, resting against a roadside post, head sagging from fatigue. "How much...longer…"

"Keep up," Shaina called back.

"This mountain air is too thin," he moaned. "And I'm carrying two boxes."

"Think of this as training. Pick up the pace already!" She waited until he'd drawn level with her before adding, "Besides, we're here." As he crested the hill, Seiya saw that indeed, below them lay a great misty valley, an enormous waterfall flowing down into a mighty river, surrounded by lush greenery and wildly-twisting rocky outcrops: The Rozan falls, heart of China's Mt. Goroho.

"Why are you so cruel?" he panted.

"To make your battles seem easy by comparison," she said, starting off down the steep, winding path. "Come on."

* * *

Four Clothboxes sat in a row facing the waterfall, about halfway up: Ophiuchus, Pegasus, Unicorn (they were planning on taking it to Jamir for repair) and Dragon. Tiny wisps of steam emerged whenever water splashed onto the living metal. Shaina stood silently by them, watching her student with concern. This wasn't something she could help him with.

Seiya was kneeling in the centre of this same plateau, his hands and face pressed to the ground, his eyes closed. He was facing a raised platform, atop which sat a tiny, impossibly-wrinkled figure, his tiny twinkling eyes shining out from under a wide straw hat. They had been this way for almost ten minutes.

Finally, the old man, Dohko of Goroho, lifted his head slightly, speaking. His voice was surprisingly clear and tuneful. "Shunrei, there's no need to hide." Seiya recognised the name—he'd seen her briefly at the Galaxian Wars tournament.

She emerged from behind a tree, wearing a simple Chinese dress, and nervously made her way up to Dohko, giving a quick bow before sitting beside him.

The old master now turned his attention to Seiya. "Have you come seeking forgiveness?"

Seiya took a deep breath, reminding himself to speak politely. "I…I do not demand it, but I would not reject it."

"Then, to apologise?"

"As sorry as I am, my words can neither add to nor take away from what has happened. You know everything already."

"Then?"

"I came to return the Dragon Cloth to you." He sat up, opening his eyes. "But more importantly, I came because it would have been cowardly not to."

Dohko took a moment to consider this. "That is a good answer."

Shaina allowed herself a concealed smile. _You _have _grown up. _A moment later, an odd sensation struck her. A chill ran up her spine, despite the temperature remaining constant. Something was just…_wrong_.

Then the waterfall parted.

From the opening, a gold-armoured man swaggered out; Cancer Deathmask, a vicious leer on his face. Shadows pooled and swirled around his footsteps, withering the grass where he walked.

"A Gold Saint…" Shaina hissed. She noticed Seiya was already on his feet, tensed to leap up at Deathmask. "Wait!" she snapped.

Deathmask stopped directly behind Dohko, pointing a finger down at him. "I'll get to the point—I'm here for your life, old man."

"The Pope is growing paranoid…" Dohko muttered. "If you knew the true face of the man you served, you wouldn't be here."

"Trust me," Deathmask chuckled, "I know exactly. The missions he can't excuse, or pass off as righteous…I take care of those on the quiet for him."

"You know, and you continue to serve him?" Dohko's face screwed up in anger. "You call that justice? You're a Saint, aren't you?"

"Justice?" Deathmask spat. "What 'justice'? D'you know who decides what justice is? The lawmakers. The people in charge. I'm a Gold Saint, so whatever I do is just by default!" he laughed. "You can throw around words like 'good' and 'evil', but good luck getting anybody to agree on what that means…"

"FOOL!" Dohko exploded. "I have lived for over two and a half centuries, and one thing I have learned is that good is good! Evil is evil! These things do not change! And _you_ are no Gold Saint."

Deathmask shrugged. "Aw, what the hell. I don't really care." He raised one arm, preparing to strike downwards.

"Shunrei, get back," Dohko urged, remaining perfectly still as she did so.

"See your pretentious ass in hell!" Deathmask struck—his fist stopped a few inches from Dohko with an enormous crash, a flash of light accompanying the clash.

Though unharmed, Dohko was breathing heavily, back bent even further.

"Heh." Deathmask stepped back, folding his arms. "I was told you've still got the most raw power of any Saint. But using it properly, that's somethin' else, right? That body of yours has barely moved for years, hasn't it? Plus, I'm in my Cloth, and you couldn't even fill yours anymore."

"Dohko's…Cloth?" Seiya repeated. "And stopping that attack like that…Dohko, are you…"

"Got it in one," Deathmask confirmed. "S'why I'm here. A Gold for a Gold. Ain't that right, _Libra _Dohko?"

"The Pope does not know, but…if you kill me…" Dohko panted. "You will doom all of Sanctuary, and the world. The evil spirits sealed here, that I guard—"

"Ah, whatever," Deathmask said, cutting him off. "I'm pretty good with spirits, I can handle it. Thanks for the heads-up though."

"Hold it!" Seiya leapt up to their level, landing between Deathmask and his target. "Dohko…you have to keep sealing those spirits, don't you? That's why you aren't fighting back."

Dohko gave a slow nod.

"Then I guess I got no choice."

"Seiya, no!" Shaina called, jumping up next to him. "Do you have a death wish?!" she hissed.

"I'm not lettin' Shiryu down again," he growled.

"You can't do anything against a Gold Saint!"

"Maybe so!" He stuck out one arm. "_Pegasus!_" A column of blue light shot up from below, the pieces of his Cloth shooting up towards him and assembling on his body.

Deathmask sighed. "You wanna die so bad, you only had to ask." In the moment his attention was on Seiya, Shaina had darted behind him, calling her own Cloth. "Aright, give it your best, both of ya."

"_Thunder Claw!_" came two voices at once, the identical attacks rushing in from either side. Deathmask smirked, turning so he was side-on to them both and holding up both index fingers, stopping their blows with a touch.

"That all?" He stepped past Seiya in a blink, sweeping his arm out and knocking them both to the floor. Before he could make another step towards Dohko, though, something stopped him short; a tug from behind. Seiya had sprung up to one knee and was tugging back on his cape.

_I doubt a Rolling Crush would work, but…I gotta try! _Seiya released the fabric, leaping for Deathmask—only to be stopped by a rapid elbow to the gut, his vision swimming as the jagged points of the Cancer Cloth's elbow-guard dug into him. The force flung him out over the waterfall, where he plummeted into the river at its base, sinking below the surface.

_I should just cut my losses, grab Seiya and get out of here… _Shaina thought. But that wasn't what happened. _Damn it, his stupidity _is_ getting to me. _She spun around Deathmask, taking up position between him and Dohko.

"Haven't had enough yet?" Deathmask asked. "'Kay."

* * *

Seiya stood, a little unsteady on his feet, waist-high in the roaring current, staring into the waterfall. He felt…strange. He couldn't quite remember where he was or what he'd been doing, but the waterfall seemed important. And there was something on the edge of his vision. Something that wasn't quite there. Something large and hot and scaly. But it was hard to think. His brain kept buzzing and his eyes wouldn't open all the way.

He placed a hand in the falls, letting the waterfall roar over and around it. "Yeah, you're right, Shiryu," he mumbled, as if answering a voice only he could hear. "This ain't right. This waterfall…gotta go _up_." He gave a shrug, and his Cloth fell off him; with a quick tug, he discarded his shirt, too. "Hey, this _is _easier. Thanks, buddy."

Rhythmically, as if hypnotised, he began to punch the water. They began as straight jabs, then gradually evolved into sweeping uppercuts, slicing through the falls. "No…no…not enough…_more_…" he slurred.

Above him, on the plateau, the Dragon Clothbox began to hum, emitting a tiny glow.

* * *

Shaina started forwards, beginning a high kick—then angled it down, striking the ground between them and drawing a line across, throwing up a cloud of dust and pebbles in Deathmask's face. She formed the familiar knifepoint with one hand, lunging while he was blinded—and was jerked to a halt before she made contact.

He took a few steps back, coughing. "Yeah, no, screw that." Keeping his psychokinetic hold on her, he flicked a finger upwards, sending her flying into the air, before making a little arcing motion, slamming her into the cliff-face behind him, finally letting go and letting her fall to the ground.

"O-KAY!" He yelled, turning back to Dohko. "Anybody else?! Or can I finally get on with this?"

Then the ground shook. And again. Again. Soon, a deep-throated yell became audible, accompanying each vibration. "The hell…" Deathmask muttered.

_Seiya? _Dohko wondered. _What are you doing?_

At the next impact, the waterfall froze for a moment, its flow temporarily halted.

Dohko's eyes widened. _T-This is…_

There was a long pause before the next one. Then—

"Rrrraaaa—"

The entire mountain rumbled as Seiya's fist carved up through the water.

And the waterfall started flowing upwards.

Its entire volume rose into the sky, twisting together and forming into a swirling, ethereal dragon, cresting its arc and heading back down to earth. It smashed into the stunned Deathmask, driving him back into the rock-wall behind. He let out a grunt of effort as it broke apart, water cascading past him. At its centre, Seiya stood with one fist raised towards the heavens, a faint green light glimmering around him. A moment later, he gasped and fell on his face, exhaustion claiming him.

Shaina stared. _What __**was **__that?! It pushed back a Gold Saint!_

_The Rozan…Shoryuha… _Dohko realised._ I see…_

Deathmask snarled, shaking his head to clear his dizziness. "Not bad, kid. But not even close to causin' me real damage. Lemme show you the way." He raised one foot to stamp down on Seiya, aiming to snap his spine.

"Hold!" The voice came from directly behind Deathmask. Eyes wide, he sprung away, raising his guard and facing a second gold-plated figure.

"Aries, you bastard…outta my way!" the Cancer Saint demanded.

"Leave this place at once, Deathmask," the Aries Saint demanded. He had a feminine face, two painted red circles adorning his forehead, and his Cloth featured great curling golden horns sweeping over his shoulders. "Or do you intend to fight two Gold Saints at once?"

Deathmask tutted. "Nice try…but I just found out that the Raisin Man over there can't move from that spot, he's busy guarding evil spirits. I can fight you one at a time."

The newly-arrived Gold Saint sighed. "Very well. Come at me."

"Thought you'd never ask!" Deathmask leapt at his foe—and was immediately sent flying back where he'd come from by an invisible barrier.

"_Crystal Wall_," Aries had enunciated to initiate this. He remained where he was for the moment, giving Deathmask an emotionless look.

"Don't get cocky…" Deathmask growled. "You think you're better than me?!" He pointed one finger at Aries, wisps of mist emerging to swirl around it, swarming forwards at his target upon release. "_Sekishiki Meikaiha!_"

"Caution!" Dohko shouted as the mist expanded, forming into the shapes of wailing, clawing spirits. "If those touch you—"

"I'll be transported to the underworld. I'm aware." With no fanfare at all, Aries blinked out of view, the ethereal attack passing through the space where he'd been standing. Instantly, Deathmask felt the edge of Aries' hand touch his unarmoured neck, crackling with deadly energy.

"Teleportation, right?" Deathmasked asked, gritting his teeth in frustration.

A slight smirk edged onto Aries' face. "It seems not all Gold Saints are equal. This will hardly take a thousand days."

"You're right about that." More twisted spirits materialised, flowing around Deathmask's body and engulfing him, his physical form vanishing and blowing away on the wind.

"Tch…retreated with his access to the underworld," Aries said, lowering his arm. "Things are coming to a head, I see," he said to Dohko.

The old master nodded. "These young ones…this will be their war, I think."

"Are we asking too much of them?"

Dohko sighed. "Maybe. But…I believe in them. I was a Bronze Saint once, you know."

"Yes." Aries' smile vanished. "So was Shion," he added quietly, turning to leave.

Shaina shoved the last of the rubble covering her away, calling out to him. "Wait! Who are you?"

He paused. "Aries Mu."

"Mu? Of Jamir?"

"I will be happy to receive you…_if _you can make it to Jamir." He strode back into the waterfall, vanishing from sight.

* * *

"It's just, I thought I felt Shiryu's spirit pass on before," Seiya explained, sitting in front of the Dragon Clothbox and staring quizzically at it. "But who else could it have been?"

"Do not forget," Dohko said gently, gesturing around the ancient valley, "you are in the birthplace of the dragon. Perhaps what possessed you was not any _single _Dragon Saint, but the beast itself."

Seiya looked up at a shuffling footstep—Shunrei stood over him.

"I guess the dragon trusts you," she said, speaking quickly. "And I think—I think—I mean, it looks like…there's a little bit of him, living in you."

"Shunrei speaks wisely," Dohko agreed. "Leave your sorrows here when you go, Pegasus, and find your smile again."

Seiya jumped to his feet, bowing. "Thank you!" he cried.

"Now, now," Dohko said kindly. "I think you'll want to be getting on with your journey now you're rested. But, a word of warning…the road to Jamir is treacherous. It has claimed the lives of many, even Saints."

"I've heard this…" Shaina muttered.

"And you didn't feel like mentioning it?!" Seiya asked, rounding on her incredulously.

Dohko continued regardless. "Remember these words, both of you. When approaching Jamir, do as Shunrei said—and act as Shiryu would. That is the single path to survival."

* * *

After Seiya and Shaina had rested and left, Dohko (still maintaining his eternal vigil) was approached by Shunrei, his head tilting in curiosity at her approach.

"There's normally a hesitancy to everything you do…it's not a bad thing, you're just reserved like that," he explained. "So what's this sudden certainty I hear in your footsteps?"

She stopped just behind him. "I want to take up training. In Shiryu's place."

"Is that so," he said, his face falling. "If your intention is to help those kids in Japan, the battle will be over too quickly. One does not become a Saint overnight."

She nodded. "I know. But I feel like…there should be a Dragon. I've never been anything like a warrior, so maybe it'll turn out I'm not suited for it…but I live and breathe this place. It feels natural."

"I see." He gave a great sigh, sounding very old and very weary.

She bowed her head. "I know. You don't want to lose me too."

"Well…you are right. We need as many Saints as possible. This civil war will leave us dangerously undermanned, and the next Holy War cannot be far off now."

"You fought in the last one, didn't you?"

"Yes. Only two Saints survived. Me, and…" His voice almost cracked. "My good friend…Aries Shion." He drew himself up. "But, aside from all that…I do want…" _Now_ it cracked. "A successor that will outlive me," he almost whispered.

"You've cared for me all my life," she said, putting a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Being that successor is the least I can do to repay you."

"Just seeing you grow and learn was joy enough," he assured her. "But if that is truly your wish…you may have competition."

"From who?"

"He'll be here soon. He was just waiting for our other visitors to leave." His brow furrowed. "It's been a while, Ohko."

* * *

_India…_

"Still can't see a bloody thing," Seiya grumbled, stumbling along the foggy mountain path, his vision not even extending to the ground he was walking on. "Why do all these wise people gotta live so damn high up?"

Shaina put an arm out, stopping him. "Hold."

"Uh?"

Instead of answering, she waited for his vision to adjust a little more now he was standing still, letting him make out what was in front of them: A horde of skeletons wearing cracked, crumbling Cloths, shuffling towards them with an unnatural, twitching gait.

"Who—" he began.

"I'd say where they came from is fairly obvious," she answered. "And if we die here, we'll be joining them." She made to dash off to one side to get around them, but Seiya grabbed her outstretched arm, pulling her back—just in time, as her foot landed on nothing and she slipped down into empty air.

Seiya dug his feet into the ground, keeping hold of her and preventing her from falling into the abyss.

"How did you know?" she gasped.

"Like the old man said…do exactly like Shiryu," Seiya grunted. "I figured it out. Keep moving forward. Come what may. 'Till we're outta here, not a single step left or right, or…" He nodded to the drop she was dangling over.

"Yes...from what I've heard, that is quite like him…" Her head snapped out. "Behind you!"

One of the skeletons had reached him, and swung a gauntleted, bony fist down into the back of Seiya's head. He gave a pained cry, falling to his knees.

"Seiya!" Shaina snapped, adopting that 'teacher' tone of voice that was sure to cut through any amount of pain and bring him to attention. "Throw me!"

He didn't waste time on questions; he hauled up and back, swinging a quarter-turn and launching her in the skeletons' direction. She sped up with a burst of her own power, her image blurring and fading, leaving a trail in her wake as she leapt from skeleton to skeleton, the afterimages linking up into the shape of a great serpent, coiling around her foes and smashing them aside.

She landed on the far side, rolling away and standing. "Get up here!"

"Y-Yes!" He threw a single full-force punch, putting most of his strength into the outward shockwave—then took off at a sprint and _raced _his own attack, letting it smack the few remaining enemies out of his way, finally arriving next to Shaina. "Good thinking."

"A strong mind is a strong body," she said. "Unfortunately one out of two seems to be all you can manage so far."

"I'm sure you'll get through to me eventually." He paused as the fog began to clear away, rapidly vanishing entirely. The path they had just been walking was now revealed as needle-thin, snaking over an enormous drop, at the bottom of which lay a canyon filled with vicious spikes of rock—the bodies of their assailants were now impaled on these.

"Jamir is just up ahead now," Shaina said. "Let's not waste time."

Seiya looked in that direction, then back at the pit. "Man, there's antisocial and then there's _this_."

"Just come on," she sighed, dragging him behind her.

* * *

_Next chapter's title: Dragon and Tiger._

_Though funnily enough, the subplot with Shunrei and Ohko (if you don't remember, an anime-only character, trained with Shiryu under Dohko for a while before being 'expelled', returns for an episode or two after Shiryu is blinded by Algol) was one of those things that just happened while writing, I didn't plan it but suddenly I just knew how it was going to tie into everything else and support the rest of the story…mostly way in the future, but stick with me, people._

_I honestly thought this chapter would get to cover Andromeda Island too, but I didn't expect the bit at Rozan to contain so much stuff. I'm glad it did, though, I like what I came up with. The upside is, the next couple chapters are very clear in my mind so they probably won't take very long!_

**Q: **On a different note, I can't help but wonder what's going to happen with the whole Aphrodite-destroying-Andromeda-Island thing. And last but not least, will we be seeing any of the other Gold Saints soon, like, say, Milo or Aldebaran?

**A: **Yes, as it happens. We had Dohko, Deathmask and Mu in this chapter, and we will be seeing one or two more Gold Saints _very _soon.

**Q: **Kya me muero de curiosidad por saber mas porfa conti conti ()

**A: **Como desées!

**Q: **Any more "Eclipse" chapters?

**A: **Funnily enough, yes. I know it hasn't updated in an age, but the next chapter of Eclipse is like halfway done still, and we all have every intention of continuing it. Actually getting everyone together to write it, that's another matter entirely. (For those who don't know, Eclipse is another one of my stories on this site, it's a collaborative project with some other cool people.)


	20. Chapter 20: Dragon and Tiger

**Chapter 20: Dragon and Tiger**

_A piece of music that really helped me write the second half of Shunrei's part of this chapter was 'Decisive Battle, Overlapping Destinies', a track from the OST for JoJo's Bizarre Adventure. So in return, I made a couple of lines in said scene a homage to the JoJo's scene that that track is most iconic for. (The track goes through a big change around a minute and 43 seconds in.)_

* * *

Ohko's appearance matched his temperament; his training gear was ragged, his hair wild, his excitable gaze never settling in one place for long. He dumped a bag of meagre travel supplies on the ground, striding up to directly below Dohko's perch.

"Master!" he shouted, resisting the urge to bow. "I've done what you wouldn't…I've travelled the world and made something of myself. I challenged every fighter I met, learned from every battle…I'm ready! Where is Shiryu?"

"Shiryu is dead," Dohko said simply.

"I see." The haggard young man didn't sound surprised. Vindicated, if anything. "Then you're wanting for a Dragon Saint, I imagine."

Dohko looked off to the side, muttering something into his beard.

"Speak up!" Ohko growled. "You've lasted two and a half centuries, you're not going senile now."

"It was not for nothing you were expulsed before!" the old master finally replied. "You haven't changed at all! I won't allow someone like you—"

"You don't have a choice," his former student shot back. "There's something brewing, right? You need all the Saints you can get. There's a perfectly good Cloth around here, and I don't see anyone else who can—"

"A-Actually…"

He stopped, looking over to the approaching figure. "Oh—Shunrei!" He extended a hand, his sharp tone suddenly becoming warm and friendly. "It's been a long time! How've you been?"

She almost smiled, before shaking her head and pushing away from him. "The truth is…I just told Master I plan to start training to succeed Shiryu." She averted her eyes, mumbling the last few words.

"Oh." He looked dumbfounded for a moment, before grinning. "Well, far be it from me to say you don't have it in you," he said, though it was clear he thought this was the case, "but _start _training is right. You aren't strong enough yet. Maybe you can succeed _me_," he laughed.

She clasped her hands together in front of her. "I know that. But I believe that a true Saint tomorrow is better than a false one today."

His eyes narrowed. It wasn't funny anymore. "What was that?" He glared into her face—she folded her arms, turning fully away.

"You heard what I said. You're not fit to wear that Cloth." She lifted her head, looking up at Dohko as she spoke to the boy behind her. "You lack respect and restraint. You'd always go picking fights whenever you could." She briefly tugged down on the back of her top's collar, showing an old, white scar. "Without paying attention to who was in the way…"

"You're saying a warrior isn't supposed to be violent?" he snapped. "What the hell are you on about?"

"If you don't understand what I'm saying, you're a hundred years too early to be a Saint," she said coldly, her confidence growing. She turned back towards him, returning his glare. "Why do you want the Cloth? It's not to fight for justice, I can tell you that."

"No, but I'll do that anyway to please you people," he said, scratching his head. "Don't worry, I'll still fight your holy battles."

"But all that's in your head are power and glory."

"Is wanting to improve a bad thing now?"

"A true warrior seeks to best themselves, not others."

He grabbed her shoulder. "And what the hell do _you _know about being a warrior?"

She slapped his face, causing him to remember himself and back off. "I was by Master's side for all six years of Shiryu's training." She finally managed a tiny smile. "So…more than you."

Ohko shook his head, looking almost distraught, like he'd lost something precious. "Maybe I haven't changed, but you sure have." He turned on his heel, marching towards the Dragon Cloth and leaning down to pick it up. "I'll be taking this. I'll show both of you how mistaken—"

Her hand gripped his wrist before he could touch the box. "Get your hands away from that," she said, with force now.

He pulled away, circling her with heaving shoulders. "Do you want to make something of this?"

"I—" she stammered, before clearing her mind and locking eyes with him. "If I have to. You're not taking Dragon."

"All right, lil' miss, but you're just gonna get hurt. You may have _watched _us train, but you don't know the first thing about how to actually—" As he spoke, he'd raised one hand, then made a half-hearted jab at her to demonstrate this.

Which she blocked with a reflexively-raised forearm.

"I practice tai'chi for spiritual and physical health," she said, sounding a little surprised at herself. "I don't practice it as a combat style. But the movements are essentially sound—it's just a matter of speeding them up."

"Something you haven't trained to do," Ohko pointed out. "That there was as much luck as skill."

"I know. But. Um. Still."

"I'm not getting the Cloth without going through you?"

Shunrei nodded, almost apologetically.

He rolled his eyes, tossing his shirt away and doing a few warm-up stretches. "Ugh. Fine."

Dohko passed a hand over his eyes, once again feeling very old and very weary.

* * *

Ohko casually took his place at the base of the waterfall, extending his right arm in front of him as the water rushed around his knees. Shunrei took up a rehearsed stance, extending her own right arm and placing the back of her hand flat against his; the position signifying the beginning of a duel.

He struck first, using his outstretched arm to sweep hers aside, then smashing his other fist into her face, plunging her into the water.

He stepped back. "I figured you wouldn't be satisfied if I went soft on you. But now you've had a taste—are you done?"

She surfaced, spluttering for air and clawing her way to her feet. "I'm not…going to repeat myself," she hissed through clenched teeth, the fierce stinging on her cheek where he'd punched threatening to block out everything else. She tugged at the bands holding her hair into its neat shape, letting them fall away, the black locks flowing out behind her in a wide arc.

Ohko froze. In that moment, she looked almost like…_Idiot, don't get distracted! _But the unnerving similarities continued when she looked up at him again. _That look in her eyes, it's the same as his…I'm still being judged! You self-righteous…_

"Don't give me that look!" he snarled, leaping at her. "What can you do?" He leaned into a kick that threw her against the waterfall, the rush of water from above instantly submerging her again.

"Is that enough?" he asked, sounding impatient.

Her head broke the water, and she made it to one knee, gasping in hurried breaths, trying to counteract the spasming muscles in her abdomen from where he'd struck.

Ohko clenched his fists, striding through the water towards her. "How long is this going to take?"

He stepped in, swinging another kick—her body twitched to the side and it only struck a glancing blow, both her arms wrapping around his leg and leaving him overextended.

"You're right," she grunted. "But I've got some practice in now."

"What?"

"Three tries." Shunrei rose to her feet, bringing his leg up with her, the movement unbalancing his whole body—speeding up another long-practiced movement, she swept his other leg out from under him, giving a final shove to the first and dumping him on his back.

Dohko, watching from high above, gave a small chuckle. _He didn't notice…she wasn't just taking those hits. She was getting closer to blocking each time…_

Ohko adjusted quickly, kicking out and bringing Shunrei down into the water next to him—at which point, she made a strange movement with her body and seemingly disappeared, vanishing into the roaring current.

He scrambled to his feet, bringing up his guard. _Where is she…?_

A sharp blow to the small of his back brought a cry of pain and surprise, and he staggered away. Completely soaked and breathing hard again, she stood behind him. "I swim in these waters every day," she explained. "I can move freely in them."

"All you're doing is dragging this out," he said, stepping in and feinting high—this time, she got the block up in time, but fell for the fake-out and failed to see his true attack, another body blow, coming. As she doubled over, he took hold of her head and hurled her past him onto the bank. "If you're going to keep being stubborn, I'll have to be more violent than I want to."

Shunrei dug her fingers into the sodden dirt, letting her senses return, now _focusing _on the pain as an anchor to the present and the material; her mind was threatening to drift off, to try and escape into unconsciousness. "I know…I'm not a strong person…not yet. But when I tell you I'll do something, I mean it!"she declared, voice cracking.

She jumped back into the river, pointing an accusing finger at Ohko. "Do me the courtesy of returning the favour."

"What?"

"You said you wouldn't go easy. But you're fighting on the human level. You haven't used your Cosmos once."

His eyes widened. "You want me to…?" He shook his head. "Shunrei, I'm not trying to kill you!"

"So you won't put 100% into getting the Dragon Cloth?" She grinned, a trickle of blood beginning to stain her teeth. "Could it be that my resolve outweighs yours…?"

"Do you know what you're asking?!" he barked.

"In a way," she replied. "Being around here, this long…I've heard Master's lectures. I _know _almost everything there is to know about the Cosmos. But I've never _experienced _it; I've always had to stay at a safe distance."

"But you've always been curious?"

She blushed a little. "It seemed rude to bring it up."

He chuckled. "I was wrong…you haven't changed completely. All right." He raised his left hand, letting it crackle with his inner power. "I'll give you a small amount—enough to convince you that 100% is a bad idea."

She took up position upstream from him, keeping her guard up. "Show me."

He nodded, splaying out his fingers and emitting a sudden pulse of energy—the invisible force reverberated out through the air, hitting Shunrei like a brick wall and hurling her over ten feet straight back before she landed with an enormous splash.

"Forgive me," he said quietly, bringing his hand in close to his chest and clasping it with his right.

* * *

Those few moments as Shunrei hit the water and sank towards the bottom, before the current completely cancelled her backwards momentum and started to carry her along, seemed to stretch out for hours.

_In that moment…it wasn't just a blunt impact…what was that gentle heat?_

_Yes…that same feeling…it was always in the air when Shiryu was going all-out._

_And when all those Saints showed up and fought earlier…it was the same, multiplied by a hundred._

But now she'd encountered that feeling up close—and now she was entirely inwardly-focused in this nigh-eternal snapshot of a second—she noticed something: There was a similar feeling, deep within her own body. Faint, but growing stronger the more she focused on it.

_Yes…Master said…the Cosmos is an inner universe that exists in all of us…it's just a matter of harnessing it._

Was it possible she could…?

_I know every detail, in theory. I've spent six years listening to Master talk about it…if nothing else, I'll regret not trying._

_Start at the most basic level. To use the Cosmos is to burn it. Fan that flame…fill yourself with that familiar heat. I've felt it a thousand times…try and emulate it…_

_The Cosmos acts like a miniature universe within the soul. Imagine stars exploding…bursting into heat and force…all coming together, like the Big Bang; limitless energy._

_I think…I feel it…!_

_Not that Ohko will be beaten that easily…but if I'm right about him…_

_Master said it was the will of the dragon itself that helped Seiya. And Seiya said it wasn't even the first time the Dragon Cloth had saved him._

_Dragon—I want to be a worthy successor. Let me prove it to you!_

* * *

Ohko was sprinting over towards Shunrei—when the water around her began to steam. She flipped up to her feet, half-kneeling and pounding a fist into the riverbed, her voice louder and clearer than he'd ever heard. "Rrrrr_rrrrrgh_…" Her eyes snapped open, a faint green light playing around them.

_…no. _Startled, Ohko began skidding to a halt, now directly in front of her. _That's not possible…_

"I feel it…" she growled, her voice stronger still. "In my heart, resonating…just enough…" Her eyes were blazing green as she leapt up at him. "_Heat enough to burn!_"

He caught both of her fists, wincing at the unnatural heat of her skin; she used his opposition as a pivot to swing around, her upper body going down and her foot slamming up into his chin.

He landed in a sitting position, one hand covering his aching jaw, staring up at her in shock. _A Cosmos?!_

She stood side-on to him now, and he noticed something—her various falls had torn up the back of her top in several places, and on the skin beneath, something was beginning to form: A familiar blue-and-green shape, twisting its way up her back, more steam rising off of it.

Dohko shuddered. _The dragon! Could this really…?_

Shunrei seemed to know what had happened without seeing. "Do you understand now? It's not about who's stronger…the dragon's made its choice! Leave this place!"

Ohko spat blood, leaping up and clenching his fists, Cosmos roiling up around him. "You're right about one thing. That mark doesn't make you any stronger. Don't think you've won!"

"Ohko!" she pleaded, her composure breaking down again.

"Shut up!" He raised one arm high, drawing the other back. "I won't let you get in my way any more…you want 100%?" His Cosmos surged higher. "This technique is the pinnacle of the tiger-style I developed…it's based on the Shoryuha!"

She looked grim-faced, bracing herself as his power reached its pinnacle; he surged forwards, his drawn-back arm lashing out as the other danced back and forth, guarding his body, shuddering from the recoil of the violent Cosmos he was unleashing. "_Mouko-Reppu Shiden-Ken!"_

Great gleaming ethereal yellow eyes flashed in the air above him; a tiger's growl emerged from his throat; his hand shot at her, claw-like—and halted, half an inch from contact. The shockwave alone still caused Shunrei to stagger back several steps. Her legs gave out, and she began to fall, Ohko darting forwards and catching her.

"I lose," he said, setting her down on the riverbank.

"I don't know what you're talking about," she said, feeling at her injuries.

He pointed to a spot on his chest. "Right before I stopped, you'd got your fist right past my guard, positioned it here. Even with the small Cosmos you just flared up, at that close range, on bare skin, it would've been fatal if you hadn't stopped yourself."

"So you spared my life because I spared yours?" she asked.

"Something like that…once you had that opening, you'd won. How did you do it?"

"I told you, I was present for most of Shiryu's training. I know the Shoryuha you adapted. And it has a flaw."

"Flaw…?"

Shunrei demonstrated some of the hand movements. "There's a sort of 'kickback'…in the instant before you launch it, for a hundredth of a second, there's an opening. It leaves your heart exposed. But it's not obvious unless you know about it." She indicated the exaggerated version he'd performed. "Because you didn't, your technique carried the same flaw—in fact, you made it even larger."

"My training was incomplete," he said bitterly.

"Indeed!" Dohko concurred. "There's nothing wrong with innovation. But you must master the starting point before you proceed."

Ohko stood away from Shunrei. "I still say I would be the better choice. But fate, the battle, and even Dragon itself are all against me…" He sighed, beginning to march off. "Call me if you lose another student."

Shunrei tried to stand and head after him, wincing as pain shot through her body and sitting back down.

"Leave him be," Dohko advised. "He needs space. Besides, your body isn't yet trained to handle that kind of energy flowing through it. You'll need to rest for a while before we begin."

"But we _will_ begin?" she asked.

"Yes. In fact, I begin to suspect that I no longer have a say in the matter."

* * *

_Andromeda Island…_

"Is he going to be okay?" Ikki asked, strolling over to Albiore and nodding towards Shun. "He's been sitting there for hours."

"He's making peace with himself," Albiore explained. "With what he's been through, that's no small task. It's only once he's done this I can really teach him anything."

Ikki smiled, walking over to his meditating brother, clapping a hand on his shoulder. "Stand up, Shun," he said warmly. "I know how strong you are. Have a little more self-confidence. Face it like a man."

"No," Shun said sharply.

"…huh?" Ikki was thrown off-balance; he headed around to face Shun, crouching down in front of him. "Did I say something wrong?"

"I don't like those kinds of comments. About how a man should do this, or be like that." He looked up, clasping his older brother's hand. "But it's okay. I _am _at peace now. But it's because of that—because I realised, it's okay for me to not be like everyone says 'a real man' has to be. I want to cry when I'm upset, show my emotions fully, feel like I can accept help. I even…" He looked away, trailing off before finding his train of thought. "I think a boy should be allowed to do those things—and then get up and fight anyway."

"In a weird way, I respect that," Ikki said with a grin. "Where'd this come from?"

"I realised it's what I was already doing on the inside, feeling everything so deep. I don't see a point in lying about it. So, when it comes to the things I'm ashamed of doing, I'm not just going to bottle it up and keep being angry with everything." He returned Ikki's expression. "Maybe if you were in my situation, that kind of thing would be a source of strength for you, but I'll deal with it in my own way."

They stood up, walking slowly back towards Albiore. Ikki shrugged. "I guess I can tell you to stop crying as much as I like, it won't stop you…but I wouldn't want you to pretend to be somebody else, either."

"Thanks. I mean it. Hey…given all that 'be a man' stuff, what would you have said for encouragement if you'd had a sister instead of me?"

Ikki laughed, ruffling Shun's hair. "If you're thinking I'd have said 'it's okay, I'll do everything', you're wrong. I'm kinda old-fashioned, but not _that _old-fashioned. No sibling of mine gets away without putting 100% of what they got!"

Shun gave Ikki a teasing shove. "You slave-driver."

"Yeah, yeah," Ikki said. "Let's just both do our best."

"Right!"

* * *

_Jamir…_

What greeted them when they arrived in the main part of Jamir was a multi-level tower, with no visible entrance on the ground floor, perched amidst a circular plateau standing tall among the valleys. They paced around it, but no door presented itself.

"So should we jump, or…?" Seiya mused.

"You should get outta here is what you should do!" came a child's voice from above. On the balcony of the tower's top floor, a simply-dressed kid with the same face-marks as Mu was perched, glowering down at them and thoroughly failing to be intimidating.

"We have business with Mu!" Shaina called. "Where is he?"

"Tch…not many people make it here…this ain't a tourist hotspot, y'hear?" the boy called, lifting his arm—at the motion, a boulder levitated off the ground next to him, flying down towards them when he pointed in their direction.

Seiya tensed up, but Shaina stepped in front of him, glaring up at the boulder. "Shatter," she said—a flash of green emanated from the eyes of her mask, and as ordered, the rock exploded into dust.

The child above gawked at this, clinging tightly to the balcony. "W-Well okay then! Just stay down there!"

"No, thank you." Shaina stepped up to the base of the tower, ramming her hands into the stone up to the wrist. "Hrr…" Electric arcs of power circled the building as she lifted, wrenching the entire four-story structure free from the earth and holding it above her head. "Where is Mu?"

"A-aah!" the kid yelled, flailing and trying to keep his balance.

"I don't respond well to aggression. _Where is Mu?_"

"He is here." They recognised the calm voice from their encounter in Goroho—and though he was wearing plain robes rather than his Cloth, Aries Mu was unmistakeable (for one thing, pink was not a common hair colour).

He held up a hand. "Kiki, stop antagonising them. And Ophiuchus…if you would kindly put my house down."

"Certainly." Shaina stepped back, setting the building back in its place with a grunt and pulling her hands out. "Apologies for any damage. Your friend tried to murder us with a boulder."

"You're Saints, it wouldn't have killed you!" Kiki protested, sticking his tongue out.

"Hmm. Fair." Shaina snapped her fingers, causing a small burst of energy to detonate at Kiki's feet, knocking him off the tower; she snatched him out of the air as he fell, setting him down in front of Mu. "You still need to learn some manners."

"I doubt that'll ever happen," Mu sighed. "Well…before, I was the Aries Saint preparing for war. Now, you meet me in my capacity as master of Jamir. How may I help you?"

"Black Dragon told me to meet you," Seiya said. "Did he come here?"

Mu nodded. "He too passed through the Cloth cemetery…though as much by luck as anything else, I suspect. He had me repair your Cloth, at great cost to himself."

_Even among the Black Saints, there was a guy like that… _Seiya looked up. "Can you repair another Cloth?" He unslung Jabu's from his back, placing it between them.

Mu snapped his fingers, and the box fell open, revealing a cracked and scarred statue within.

"Hey, it healed a bit," Seiya noted.

"Cloths, being semi-living, have some self-repair ability," Mu said as Kiki scurried around examining it. "Kiki, how bad is it?"

His little assistant shook his head. "Not good. This one's dead."

Seiya did a double-take. "Dead?!"

"Which means it won't heal any further than this…" Mu said. "Not if left on its own. But Pegasus was like this when it was brought to me."

"Then how'd you fix it?" Seiya asked eagerly. "What, uh…what cost did Black Dragon pay?"

"The blood of a Saint," Mu answered, looking grave. "One-third of your blood, to be precise."

"Let me—" Shaina began.

"I'll do it," Seiya insisted. "I need to bury the hatchet with that bastard anyway. This should do it." He made a slice down his forearm with his opposite hand, letting himself bleed freely onto the Unicorn Cloth.

Mu turned to Kiki. "Let's not waste time! My tools, now!"

* * *

As Mu set to work, Seiya, his arm extensively bandaged and feeling very light-headed, sat with Shaina, looking out over the mist-shrouded canyon below. "The real battle's coming soon, isn't it?"

"I should think so."

"I guess we should spend whatever time we've got left gettin' ready."

"You have something in mind?" she asked.

"Yeah," he said, holding up a fist. "There's something I wanna…I guess unlearn, and relearn."

"I have no idea what you're talking about, but that already sounds exactly like your kind of fool idea," she chuckled.

"You ain't seen nothin' yet."

* * *

_Fun fact, there's this idea of the dragon and the tiger being a symbol of duality, often used to represent the yin-yang. That's why the anime writers made Ohko, Shiryu's rival, tiger-themed. Of course, as it would turn out in the Hades arc, Dohko already canonically fulfilled this role, his tattoo and iconography being the tiger to Shiryu's dragon (but the anime writers obviously didn't know this at the time)._

_But yeah, next chapter we finally do that timeskip!_

**Q: **Eagerly awaiting your next chapter. I assume Kiki's going to make an appearance beside Mu, right? Oh, and you need to explain what happened to Isaac, too.

**A: **Yup, you were correct about Kiki. And indeed, what happened to Isaac…? Stay tuned to find out!


	21. Chapter 21: On the Hunt

**Chapter 21: On the Hunt**

"One more time!" Albiore urged.

Shun nodded, raising one hand high over his head, an unnatural wind beginning to swirl up around them. He slowly curled his fingers, the air currents focusing in around his hand, his breathing slow and measured.

_Remember…don't hold back from feeling everything. Lay it all bare. All those false faces I was putting on, my mind wasn't clear. I couldn't reach this. _He brought his arm around to face forwards, the wind now roaring with monstrous force, ablaze with a pink-tinged light. "Ready?" he called over the building maelstrom.

Albiore nodded, raising his forearms, his chain weapons reacting to his mental impulses and forming a spiralling barrier around him. The Cepheus Cloth wasn't as versatile as Andromeda, but it had far greater defensive capability, especially when reinforced by Albiore's mighty Cosmos. "Do it!"

"Haaah—" Shun released the building force, letting the concentrated, crackling hurricane leap at Albiore, tearing up the ground as it went.

The Silver Saint was rocked back by the attack, driven almost to the edge of the island, finally dispelling it with a great effort, his arms shaking as he walked over to his new pupil. "Wonderful!"

Shun was looking down at his hand, still humming with power. "Thank you…I've finally brought it all out." He smiled. "It's funny…I've known I had this kind of potential for a couple years, but I never wanted to hurt anyone. When I…changed my mind about that, there was enough of the real me left to hide it away."

"That's probably the only reason your friends survived fighting you," Albiore noted. "You were looking out for them the whole time."

"But…" Shun's face fell. "Still, now I've unlocked this…it's _not _using it that's going to be the problem. I still don't want to hurt anyone if I have the choice."

Albiore was about to respond, then stopped; his head jerked up, his eyes scanning the horizon. "Shun. Listen to me carefully."

"S-Sir?"

"Gather all my students, and get off the island."

"What? Why—"

"_Do as I say!_"

Nodding speechlessly, Shun scrambled off.

_At least I've already got my Cloth… _Albiore sighed, beginning his slow walk back towards the centre of the island. He didn't have to run. _That man _was a patient hunter. He knew that with the kids here, Albiore had no choice but to come and face him.

The master of Andromeda Island took a deep breath, giving a fond look around at his hot, craggy home. _It's a real shame, _he thought, cracking a smile. _I didn't want to die today._

* * *

Ikki ran his hand down the edge of the Andromeda Clothbox, his expression sullen. _You still won't accept me…I've got so much stronger, but…I guess that's never what it was about, was it?_

"Ikki!" June came leaping up the rocky hills towards him, her own box on her back, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Master just said…we need to leave the island right now. Shun's getting the other students to the boats."

"Why would he…?" Ikki frowned. "We're not just gonna run out, are we?"

"Of course not," she said with a nervous grin. "Shun has the evacuation in hand, so that's the smart thing taken care of—normally my area. So I thought, what would _you_ do?"

"Follow Master and get in far over my head," Ikki said casually.

"Exactly. And besides…if there's anything we can do to help, I want to keep that little brother of yours safe. He doesn't like fighting—let's not make him."

Ikki gave a look of pleasant surprise. "…thank you, June."

"Sure, of course. Now c'mon." She leapt back down the hill, stumbling as she put on pieces of her Cloth without stopping. Ikki gave a final glance back in Andromeda's direction before jerking his gaze away and following.

* * *

They crouched behind a thick-trunked, weather-beaten oak, watching as Albiore approached the waiting figure. "A Gold Saint, in person? The Pope thinks highly of me."

Scorpio Milo gave a mirthless grin. "Hardly. You haven't responded to a summons from Sanctuary for years."

"Let's say my faith has become shaken," Albiore said evenly.

"The Pope tells me you are plotting an insurrection."

"And you believe that?"

A dangerous gleam entered Milo's eyes. "Disobedience must be punished." Suddenly the expression seemed to _expand_, bursting out into an actual stream of red light, forming into a series of rings that encircled Albiore's body. "_Restriction."_

Albiore swung the Cepheus Cloth's chains upwards, forming a spiralling wall of defence around him, shattering Milo's rings. "Is that really all one of Sanctuary's elite can do?"

Milo seemed to have expected this. "Ah, I'd heard of the great Cepheus Saint of Andromeda Island…_almost _as powerful as a Gold Saint, they say."

"We shall see." Albiore sent one of his chains on the offensive, its pointed tip streaking out at Milo, but it breezed past him, the assassin adjusting his position by the tiniest amount to dodge the attack.

_With only one chain to block with, there are gaps in his defences. _Milo raised his index finger, the painted-red nail extending into a lengthy stinger, a shimmering red dart emerging and speeding at Albiore, puncturing through Cloth and body in an instant. "_Scarlet Needle!_"

Albiore cried out in pain, sinking to one knee, feeling sick, disoriented. "Uh…hah…" Slowly, he raised his head. "With one attack…what did you do to me?"

"One attack?" Milo asked, with mock-surprise. "Look again."

Albiore glanced down, seeing that three neat, tiny holes had been bored into him. "Damn…I thought I'd be able to last a little longer…"

"The Scarlet Needle is an attack designed for punishment," Milo explained. "It inflicts as much pain as possible, and drags out the victim's death. Each strike hits a point on your body corresponding to the Scorpio constellation…instant death occurs on the fifteenth, but you'll have until then to suffer. Do you understand?" He flicked the 'tail' hanging from his helmet back over his shoulder. "Of all Saints, I am the only one who can truly say that I show an opponent…absolutely no mercy."

He levelled his finger once more. "Prepare yourself for the next three!"

"Gah!" Albiore sprang up and backwards, bringing both chains up in a defensive formation, keeping intensely focused on blocking the incoming needles. There was a small red flash, and he fell on his back, both hands clutched to his thigh, hissing between clenched teeth.

"Ah…" Milo said, looking disappointed. "Only one hit."

"Stop!" Ikki yelled, leaping out of his cover and charging at Milo.

"Damn it, no!" June hissed, tearing after him. _I was waiting for Milo to drop his guard…well, Ikki will be Ikki… _She caught up with her fellow trainee, tapping his shoulder. "I'll use my new technique, keep his attention long enough for you to get in close."

He nodded silently, violent sparks of Cosmos bursting to life around his balled fists, his face stony.

June opened her mouth, preparing to attack—

"_Restriction!_" Milo called, shooting a glance their way, his eyes flashing red again. The red rings encircled them, but they barely registered this—Milo's stare was entrancing, poised, deadly, drowning out almost any thought, filling their minds. All there was room for was:

This is the Hunter. You are the Prey. And you have been Caught.

Eventually he looked back to Albiore, and the students gasped as the spell was broken, though the shimmering rings kept them held in place.

_I knew Gold Saints were strong, _June thought, _but this is insane! He's not even bothering to fight us…_

_Master broke out of _this _so easily? _Ikki realised.

"You shouldn't have come here," Albiore growled, rising to his feet. "Milo! You can have my life, just release those two!"

"Sorry, but I'm greedy," Milo said with a grin. "It'll be all three of you."

"They're no threat to you!" Albiore flung both chains to the attack. "Damn it, man, they're practically children!"

"All enemies of the Sanctuary must die. There are no grey areas." Milo caught one chain in his left hand, letting the other wrap around the same wrist, entering into a brief tug-of-war against his opponent. Once he was fully braced, he brought up his right hand. "_Scarlet Needle!"_

"Aaahh!" Albiore collapsed again, shaking, another six holes punched into his body.

"Master!" June cried.

"Just five to go," Milo said cheerfully. "Now, you have a choice…you can go mad from the pain, or keep enduring it until the fifteenth hit kills you."

_No…master… _Ikki's eyes were screwed shut, his fingers trembling. _You've cared for me all this time…helped me grow…but I can't do anything for you! I know I can't beat this guy, but…couldn't it be me instead of you, somehow?_

Something had changed. In that moment, what Ikki desired was not the power to fight. His only intention was to sacrifice himself, so that others might live.

A thunderous roar echoed across the island, stopping Milo in his tracks. A second later, a column of light from above washed over Ikki; he felt the touch of metal on his body, but…it felt oddly warm. Alive.

Albiore gave a weak laugh. "I'm happy for you, Ikki…I'm just sorry something so wonderful had to happen at a time like this."

"What?" Milo demanded. "_What_ happened?!"

"The birth of the Andromeda Saint," Ikki replied as the light dimmed down, resplendent in his new Cloth.

Milo sighed. "That's all? I was worried for a moment. Do you think putting on a Bronze Cloth will let you break out of my Restriction?"

"No. But I think it will let me attack without moving. _Nebula Chain!_" The chains hanging from Andromeda's gauntlets sprung to life, racing at Milo in a spiral formation.

He darted out of the way, shaking his head. "And just what was that in aid—_oofff_!" While Ikki's attack had his attention, Albiore had dashed in and punched him across the face. Keeping up his momentum, the Silver Saint directed each of his chains to grab one of Milo's ankles, then tossed him overhead and back to the ground.

With Milo's concentration broken, June and Ikki were free to move, and ran over to their master, who shoved them away, raising his guard.

"Get out of here!" he ordered. "That wasn't enough to really hurt him."

"We're not leaving you to die!" June protested.

"All you'll be doing is getting yourselves killed too! We only have a few seconds before—"

"No," Milo said, standing again, his face smug. "You don't."

At which point he was enveloped in an enormous fireball.

A blazing silhouette descended from above, landing between Milo and his targets; Shun, fully-armoured.

"Are you all right?" he asked, turning towards them with a desperate expression—then he jerked to a halt as a tiny point of red light pierced his upper arm. He fell to his knees, giving a pained scream, the excruciating poison pulsing beneath his skin.

"You could've saved yourself," Milo noted, emerging unscathed from the flames. "Admirable. Pointless, but admirable." He noticed Shun was still down, shoulders shaking, tears flowing freely. "Come on now. I'd expect this from an ordinary human, but you're a Saint, aren't you? What are you doing?"

"Letting it out." Shun jumped to his feet, whirling and unleashing another two-handed explosion of flame. It washed past Milo, surging violently around him, but once again it failed to cause any damage; Shun kept up the attack, however, his jaw stretching open in a primal shout. The flames extinguished—but the attack didn't stop, converted to pure, raw force, his own gauntlets disintegrating under the strain.

Milo frowned, noticing the pressure of the blast surrounding him increasing, at first slowly, but rapidly accelerating, building and building until the latest wave dealt him a staggering body-blow. The mighty Gold Saint let out a gasp of surprise and exertion, taking a step back, then another, his back bending slightly under the strain. "Wh-What is this…" he hissed.

Sweat forming on his brow, he dug his feet in, straightening up and pushing back against the immense force, slowly raising his right arm, index finger gleaming as he prepared to fire. "Still…_not enough_!"

"How about now?" Albiore called as one of his chains sank into the ground on each side of Milo, energy flowing through them and leaping up at the Scorpio Saint. This new surge of power combined with Shun's continuous blast, almost overpowering Milo, who snarled, clenching his fists and flaring up his Cosmos, doing his best to resist the attacks. The maelstrom of energy battered at his defences, now perfectly deadlocked. They remained that way for some time, neither side gaining ground, the enormous overflow of power keeping June and Ikki from even getting close.

"My, my," a voice spoke from off to the side, too quiet for any of the combatants to hear over the roar of battle, "it'll take forever at this rate. No, this won't do." The speaker made a quick movement, and something small streaked through the air towards Shun's back.

Albiore saw it at the last moment and dived, tackling Shun out of the way as the object hit the ground behind where he'd been standing: A single red rose, incredibly buried halfway up its stalk into the hard ground, such was its unnatural resilience and the strength it had been thrown with.

Milo looked over towards the unusual projectile's source: A highly-effeminate-looking (yet probably _just _about male) Gold Saint in finely-wrought, contoured armour, another rose held delicately between his teeth and several more in his hand.

"Aphrodite," Milo said with a nod, taking a minute to catch his breath after the intense clash. "What are you doing here?"

"It's been quite a while since the Pope ordered you to attack Andromeda Island," answered Pisces Aphrodite, flicking his hair back with his free hand. "What have you been doing?"

"Studying them. The wise hunter knows his prey well before striking."

"For this long, though?" Aphrodite arched an eyebrow.

"I am not lacking in patience."

"Is that really all, though? This is a training-ground, is it not? You were waiting to see if they could get stronger."

Milo shrugged, discovered. "Inflicting a quick death is boring. It's hard to find challenging prey anymore."

"That's your fault for becoming so powerful," Aphrodite joked. "But really, fast or slow, causing that much pain and bloodshed…it's such an ugly way of fighting."

Shun, still dazed, found himself marched backwards by Albiore. "Sir, what—"

"You're incredible, Shun," the Silver Saint said with a weary smile, coming to a stop. "And I think with time, you can grow even further. Maybe you can even surpass people like this…"

"Wh-What are you saying?"

"Go." Albiore spotted movement out of the corner of his eye, turning and hurling both chains, catching each Gold Saint by a forearm. "Right now we don't have a hope of defeating both. _Go!_"

Ikki stumbled up to him, reaching a hand out. "Master, don't do this! We can't leave—"

"This is my final order to you!" Albiore said with uncharacteristic ferocity. "Do me the respect of obeying!"

"Master," Ikki said hoarsely, stopping in his tracks, torn.

June put a hand on his shoulder, sharing a glance and a nod with Albiore. It wasn't that she wasn't sad. She was used to emoting efficiently, without using facial expressions, and in that moment, all was communicated and all was understood.

She roughly hauled Ikki back until he started walking for himself, Shun following quickly, none of them looking back, none of them saying a word.

Albiore glanced from one of his opponents to the other. "Come!"

"I suppose you're one of those tiresome 'you'll have to get through me' types, then," Aphrodite sighed. He grabbed the chain with his free hand, wrenching it off him and tossing it away, before stepping back to watch Milo work. "The situation seems to have improved. No need to dirty my hands any longer."

"Thank you." Milo pointed his glistening red-tipped finger. "Well, Cepheus? Do you think you can go the distance; retain your sanity long enough to die to the fifteenth Scarlet Needle?"

"Do your worst." Albiore gathered up his remaining Cosmos, steeling himself for the pain to come.

_To my successors, I pass on my will…_

_Give your all in your future endeavours…most of all, live free. I want to see your spirits shining from the next world. And maybe, one day…banish this shadow from the world._

* * *

The three Bronze Saints, their Cloths stowed and Cosmos hidden, stood together on the African coast, staring out in Andromeda Island's direction; Albiore and Milo's Cosmos had been burning white-hot for a while now, but Albiore's was flickering more and more. Finally, with an awful shudder, it vanished.

* * *

"_Any final words?"_

"_When someone finally sends you to the afterlife…apologise to Athena."_

"_What?"_

* * *

Ikki's legs gave out beneath him, his mouth moving silently; June stepped forward, supporting him and letting him rest his head on her shoulder.

Shun closed his eyes, bringing his hands up in front of him and concentrating until the Phoenix Cloth's destroyed gauntlets reformed around them. _Albiore…I wish I could've known you longer. Even so, you helped me a lot. I finally feel like myself again._

_And…it's obvious you meant a lot to my brother. It's harder to tell, but I know June's suffering too._

_Thank you for everything._

* * *

**Q: **I'd never have imagined Shunrei so strong-minded. I guess she won't be ready soon enough to fight against the Sanctuary.

**A: **Probably not, no.

**Q: **As andromeda Ikki would look like? ... I will have nightmares ..

**A: **Haha, don't worry. I'm imagining it as the manga version of the V1 Andromeda Cloth, which looks generally better.


	22. Chapter 22: When in Athens

**Chapter 22: When in Athens**

_Yeah, this chapter took a while. I have multiple writing projects going, I will probably always have multiple writing projects going, but I'm also gonna keep writing this, at whatever speed it happens._

* * *

The return to Japan was a much more sombre affair than the departure had been; eventually, having slowly trickled back over a period of several days, they all sat despondently on the front porch of the Kido villa, watching the sunrise in silence.

Well, almost all of them.

"Isaac still isn't back…" June mumbled.

Saori shook her head. "I don't think we can wait for him any longer."

"I agree," Shun said. "With the false Pope able to send assassins at his leisure…"

"Not that we've had any for a while," Seiya pointed out.

"He's waiting for our move," Shaina theorised. "He knows our time is limited."

"It is?"

Saori nodded. "Athena's—er, my reincarnation means that the Holy Wars will begin soon. More Olympians will revive…I will not be able to fight them with only a handful of Saints."

"What's he get out of it?" Jabu wondered. "If some god comes along and kills everybody, isn't this fake Pope screwed too?"

"It is strange," she agreed.

"It's possible he's the servant of another god," Shaina added. "In any case, it's true that we don't have time to wait around. We can leave a message to be delivered to Isaac if he arrives."

"So we're going all-in, huh?" Seiya said, looking around at the group. "Sanctuary."

June leaned forward in her chair. "That's a lot of Saints we're up against, and who knows how many Golds will be present."

"We'll have allies there," Ikki said. "Aiolia and Toma, at least."

Saori breathed in deeply, putting her hands on her knees. "Let's hope so."

* * *

That afternoon, as she reappeared to board the foundation's private plane with the others, she was resplendent in flowing white silks, proudly carrying her gold-topped staff, an uncommon boldness in her face. "The time for hiding is past," she said, addressing the Saints already seated on the plane. "If I go, I go as the goddess."

They all acknowledged this, lapsing back into silence as the plane took off with Tatsumi at the controls.

_What kind of man is this Pope? _Saori wondered, staring out the window at the receding ground. _A god and a devil…_

Shun squeezed his brother's hand for reassurance, but Ikki pulled away, muttering, "Hey, that's embarrassing…"

"Are you all right, though?" Shun asked. "You just lost—"

"Well don't bring it up!" Ikki snapped, turning away.

Shun flinched back in his seat. "Sorry…"

_It's just his instinct to want to talk about his problems, I guess…not his fault we deal with stuff differently. _Ikki sighed, turning to face his brother again. "You scared?"

Shun nodded.

"Yeah, that's natural. Don't worry. I won't let anything happen to you."

"It's not just me I'm worried about…"

Ikki frowned. "We'll get through this."

"I guess…"

June listened to the conversation without opening her eyes, leaning back in her seat and conserving every ounce of energy she could. _I hope you can keep that promise…_

Seiya drummed his fingers on his knees, restless; glancing back over his shoulder, he noticed Shaina was even more uneasy. "You all right?" he asked.

"I'm just…" She tapped the window. "I was raised away from your modern world. I'm used to doing everything on my own power. Relying on a thin metal box to keep us from falling to earth…"

"I guess you were probably raised being told the sky was the gods' domain or something, right?"

"Something like that…although, we are flying _with _one, so…"

"Right…" Seiya sat back down, trying to suppress his nervous energy. _Back to Sanctuary…been a while…_

* * *

The plane touched down in Sanctuary, nestled in the ruins of old Athens, with suspicious lack of fanfare; in fact, there seemed to be no-one around at all.

They quickly spread out, donning their Cloths and forming a loose circle, the unnatural silence unnerving them.

"So…I guess we should…just get going…?" Jabu eventually hazarded. "Nobody's showing."

"Right," Saori agreed, resting her staff on one shoulder. "Tatsumi, please wait here."

"Milady, I can't—" the butler protested.

"I need someone to guard the plane," she said kindly. "Can I rely on you for that?"

"Y…Yes, ma'am."

"Very good." She turned back to her Saints. "Let's go."

* * *

The great stone steps leading up through Sanctuary instantly instilled them with a sense of grandeur and antiquity; it was as though they had been crafted for giants of old. They passed barracks, training grounds and stadiums; all emptied.

The steps slowly narrowed as they climbed, until they'd shrunk from continuous plateaus of rock into merely enormous, forming the winding flight of stairs that worked their way up the mountain at the top of Sanctuary, connecting the twelve zodiac temples.

As the first of the temples, seated at the base of the mountain, came into view, a figure emerged from the side of the road, cloaked and hooded, waving for them to approach.

"Who're you?" Seiya asked, assuming a casual stance, thumbs resting on his belt, to mask how tense he was.

"Your guide," the man said courteously, bowing slightly. "Please, follow me."

Feeling warier than ever, they did so, the 'guide' leading them up to the entrance of the first, Aries Temple.

"The Pope has granted you an audience, Miss Kido," he said. "You are lucky; without that, you would never have reached him. No-one has passed through the twelve Temples by force since the age of myth…"

"Because each is guarded by its respective Gold Saint—I know," Saori responded. "Are you done trying to intimidate me? I would like to see him as soon as possible."

"Yes, yes, of course. Only, there's a small problem…" He leapt into action, hurling off the cloak and revealing himself as a fully-armoured Saint. His arm drew back, streamers of light swirling around it—then he froze as Shaina appeared in front of him, her razor-sharp nails held at his throat.

"Move another inch and I'll paint these steps with you," she said, her impassive voice chilling his blood.

"My thanks," Saori said. "How did you anticipate him?"

"His voice gave him away," she explained. "There aren't _that _many Saints. This is the Silver, Sagitta Ptolemy."

"They must be running out of Silvers at this rate," Ikki said drily; June couldn't supress a smile at the deadpan humour.

Saori paced around to behind Ptolemy. "So, tell me; was I really granted an audience?"

This seemed like a stupid question to the more mentally short-sighted of the group, but to their surprise, Ptolemy nodded. "It was the official decree…your assassination was a secret order."

"So, the Gold Saints would not stop us from ascending to the Pope's chamber?"

"No, but…only if you were alone, but for me. That was the decree."

She considered this. "It's a better shot than trying to storm through the Temples…"

"Hold on!" Jabu protested. "That's crazy!"

"It really is," June agreed. "Now this attempt's failed, if you're face-to-face he'll just kill you himself."

Saori let a brief glow of power emerge from her staff. "I don't believe he will. Look…I don't want any of you getting hurt if I can avoid it."

"It's our job to guard _you_," Ikki pointed out.

She smiled. "Thank you, but ideally there won't be any fighting at all. I don't know exactly what might happen, up here or down there…but if things don't go to plan, I leave it up to your judgement."

Shaina, noticing something, tugged at Ptolemy's arm-length gauntlet, producing a long, thin object: A sleek golden arrow. She caught it before it hit the ground, holding it up, her other hand still poised unwaveringly at his throat. "What is this?" she demanded.

"I don't know exactly…" he said stiffly. "I was told to use it to kill Kido, that's all."

Saori put her hand over Shaina's, gently lowering her arm. "Thank you, Shaina. It's all right now." She faced Ptolemy, telling him, "you will take me to the Pope now."

"Don't be ridiculous," he spat. "I'm not just going to co-operate with—" His words caught in his throat, a choked splutter escaping as he staggered back a step, overwhelmed by a sudden sensation of authority radiating from her. _What's this…?_

"You will take me to the Pope, _now_," she repeated.

"Y-Yes!" He snapped to attention, leading the way. Saori followed at a brisk stroll, one final confident look back at the Saints as she ascended, passing into the first temple.

* * *

Mu said nothing, but seemed pleasantly surprised.

* * *

The Taurus Saint stood in silence, statuesque.

* * *

The Gemini Saint was nowhere to be seen, though there was _some_ kind of indistinct presence in his Temple.

* * *

Deathmask sneered at their passing, scraping something off his shoe.

* * *

Aiolia gave a brief glance of acknowledgement, but seemed oddly distant. When she called out to him, he didn't reply.

* * *

Shaka did not deem to cease his meditation for their passing.

* * *

Dohko, as she knew, was not at Sanctuary.

* * *

Milo glared at her the entire time she was in his line of sight.

* * *

Again as expected, there was no Sagittarius Saint.

* * *

The Capricorn Saint said, "It will be done today. Good."

* * *

Aquarius Temple gave her pause. Its guardian Saint stood in front of a large cuboid of ice, taller than he was and nearly as wide and deep. But most notable was what was unmistakeably frozen into the centre: Isaac.

Saori stopped in her tracks, glaring at Camus for a moment.

"Can I help you?" he asked.

_There's no point stirring up a fight here…I can negotiate with the Pope for his release. _She followed after Ptolemy, heading for the Temple's exit. "He will not be your prisoner for long."

Camus sighed.

* * *

Finally, Aphrodite inclined his head in acknowledgement, giving a radiant smile. "Good morning, my lady."

She curtly returned the gesture, moving on towards the very top of the mountain: The Pope's chambers, behind which towered the statue of Athena, indicating the presence of her shrine.

The ornate double-doors swung open, revealing the lavishly-decorated chamber within; at the back sat the gold-helmeted, finely-robed figure upon his throne. He looked up at their entry. "Ah, Miss Kido…" He stood, raising a hand. "Ptolemy, you can leave us now."

"Your Excellency." Ptolemy bowed, leaving the room, the doors sliding closed behind him.

Saori crossed the room, her gaze locked on the false Pope, sizing him up. "We have much to discuss."

His long-nailed fingers, resting at his sides, curled slightly. "You know, I don't think that we do."

* * *

The Saints all jumped to attention at a noise like the roar of a great beast—looking over in its direction, they saw a dozen points of blue fire spring to life on a tall stone tower that stood by the mountain, spread into a circle formation, lining up with the carvings on the tower to form a flaming 'clock'.

"The hell's that mean?" Jabu voiced what they were all thinking.

"Wait…" Shun said. "Saori's Cosmos is flaring! And there's another enormous one up there with her…they're fighting…"

"More than that," Shaina added. "Those flames are linked to her Cosmos…it's a message."

Ikki realised what she had. "If it counts down like a clock…it'll run out when her strength does. That's our time limit."

"So what, get all the way up there, past every Gold Saint, just like that?" June muttered.

"She's not telling us what to do…just the facts," Shun answered.

Seiya broke his silence, pushing past the others. "What the hell are we standing around talking for? Aren't you tired of the Golds just walking all over you?" He set off up the steps.

Shun smiled. "Ladies and gentlemen…I believe it's time to save the world."

"You damn right!" came the call from ahead.

* * *

_It's finally here! The arc that all the video games pretend is the first one…AKA the original 'Temple Run'…haha…okay…never mind…I'll just…see myself out._

_Next chapter, Aries and probably Taurus too!_


	23. Chapter 23: Aries

**Chapter 23: Aries**

_Y'know, writing Shura is gonna be fun, I might get to slip in a reference or two to the Spanish version of Saint Seiya (i.e. the most successful incarnation outside of Japan)…_

* * *

_Two minutes ago…_

"That quick to violence?" Saori asked, warily raising her staff as the Pope stood, his Cosmos rising, fingers flexing and releasing every few seconds.

"Merely finishing the work I began long ago." He stepped down off the platform his throne sat upon, a visible aura of warring light and darkness arising around him.

"I'll give you one chance to back down, and realise what you're doing, facing your goddess like this," she warned.

"We don't need a weak god like you," he said, his voice dropping suddenly. "_I _don't need you…I…I will protect this world!"

"Weak?" Her own Cosmos flashed, its ripples meeting his in the centre of the room, the opposing energies roiling around each other. "Shall we test that, you fraud?"

His hand snapped up as her staff lashed out, and her arc of golden light met his red and blue bolts of lightning between them, glancing off of each other and carving up the walls around them.

_He's matching my power…it's not yet fully developed, but that's still fearsome. Who _is _this man? _She let out a small gasp as her thoughts were interrupted by another full-power explosion of energy from the false Pope—she hadn't been expecting another attack so powerful, so soon. She barely had time to get her weapon up and, with a grunt and a great heave, deflect the crackling bolts off to the side, tearing up the chamber in their wake.

"How are you feeling?" he called. "Out of breath already?"

She grimaced. _This could be bad…I may have enough power to fight him, but what I still lack is fighting experience. I'm getting worn out this quickly…I won't be able to match him forever._

She tapped her staff against the floor, a thin circle of light rippling out from the point of contact before disappearing.

He paused, studying the diminishing energy trail. "What was that…?"

"Your flame-clock outside—I just lit it. It's connected to my own energy now…"

"Showing them how long you'll last…clever." He shrugged. "Well, so what if your little friends come running. What chance does that gang of fledglings have of conquering the twelve temples?"

She smirked. "Since you want to overthrow the gods, let me ask you…do you believe in miracles?"

He gave a slight shake of his head. "Heroic feats are one thing. Doing what hasn't been done since the Age of Myth, quite another."

"We'll see."

* * *

_Now…_

The first temple loomed over them, its columns and surfaces unmarked by age, quite in contrast to the crumbling ruins that made up the lower parts of Sanctuary. As they got closer, they began to make out a single figure standing at the top of the steps, guarding the entrance: Mu, once more wearing his Cloth.

"I got the first one!" Jabu declared, pulling ahead of the others.

"Wait—" Seiya began, but it was too late; Jabu lunged at the Aries Saint, streams of his Cosmos swirling in around his fist—and rebounded off some invisible barrier between them, the force seating him.

Shaina put a firm hand on his shoulder. "_That _is Aries Mu, our ally that we told you about."

"Well you coulda told me what he looked like!" Jabu huffed, picking himself up and looking rather embarrassed to be the centre of attention like this.

"Aries is the first zodiac sign. Therefore, you wouldn't have to know what he looked like to work out that the first temple would be his, correct?" she asked.

"Aw, shaddup."

Mu gave a slight smile. "I hope that small demonstration was a useful taste of the enormity of the task that lies ahead of you. And I am far from the most dangerous Gold Saint."

"Can you help us?" June asked.

He shook his head. "Not directly. Consider the current set-up…each of the temples is an individual challenge, with a single opponent at a time, which you can all tackle at once. It's actually quite an advantageous set-up for you. If the Pope knew there was even one Gold physically opposing him…"

"All bets would be off," Shun guessed. "They wouldn't be respecting us like this."

Mu nodded. "He would act to crush the dissension with overwhelming force before it could spread."

"You said 'directly', though…" Ikki pointed out. "I take it you have something in mind."

"Quite." The master of Jamir snapped his fingers, and his tiny assistant scurried out from behind one of the temple's columns. "Kiki, inspect their armours."

"Yes, sir!" The boy began darting from Saint to Saint, tapping on sections of their armour and peering at them through odd shapes he made with his fingers. "Chameleon's no good," he said at last. "Rest are fine."

"Thank you." Mu motioned them to follow him into the temple. "It appears the Chameleon Cloth will require some repair before it is battle-ready. The others have already had repairs, or sustained minor enough damage that their self-repair ability was up to the task."

June looked a little downcast. "You guys should go on. We can't afford to waste any time." She clenched a fist in front of her. "I'll join you as soon as you can."

Jabu bumped it with his own. "Gotcha. Hey, I'll buy dinner for anyone who beats me to the top."

Seeing the group preparing to leave, Mu held up a hand. "A moment. I'm sure you know, the gap in strength between you and the Gold Saints is enormous."

"…little bit," Seiya admitted with a wince.

"Allow me to offer you some advice," Mu said, noticing with some amusement how they all perked up at the words. "Do you know the source of our power?"

"Gold Cloth?" Shun hazarded.

"No…" Shaina immediately cut in. "A Cloth is vital for protection, but ultimately it comes down to a Saint's own Cosmos."

"Yeah," Jabu agreed. "Even when I had Sagittarius, I still wasn't on Aiolia's level."

"The source of that overwhelmingly superior Cosmos is something called the Seventh Sense," Mu explained. "It is not something that can be taught or explained. You must discover it for yourself, in battle. It is the basic source of what we call the Cosmos—if you can awaken it…"

"Then we can beat the Gold Saints?" Ikki said, sounding even more excited.

"Then you might stand a chance," Mu corrected. "Looking at you right now…I would guess that most of you are only just reaching the point where waking it is not impossible. Or at least are approaching that point. I wish you the best of luck…you'd better hurry."

In general agreement on this last point, they collectively turned and dashed out of the shade of the temple, back into the sunlight and the endless winding staircase.

June, meanwhile, removed her Cloth and returned it to statue form, sitting down opposite Mu and Kiki as they set to work.

"Honestly, it doesn't look damaged to me," she said, squinting at it.

The architect gave the metal a tap, opening a large crack in what usually formed one of the boots. "Between all your battles so far, it's sustained a lot of damage. So much that it was only able to heal its appearance…the simplest attacks could reduce it to dust at this point."

"Oh…thank you, then."

He snapped his fingers, and Kiki placed a small golden hammer in his outstretched hand. "I shall work as quickly as I can."

* * *

It took a little over ten minutes for him to finish repairs, to her pleasant surprise.

"Thank you!" she said, giving a hurried bow before forcefully strapping on each piece of armour in turn. "I was expecting it to take longer, honestly…"

He handed the last of his tools back to his assistant. "This was hardly as trying as my last round of repairs. Your Cloth's spirit was still alive, merely wounded. Now, go."

She nodded, dashing off through the cavernous exit and making for the distantly-looming Taurus Temple.

Once she was gone, Mu's forehead wrinkled. Kiki caught the expression, asking, "What's up, sir?"

"I don't sense any Cosmos in Taurus but Aldebaran's…" he confided. "It's not exactly _surprising _that he beat them this quickly, but…_disheartening_, certainly."

"I guess they couldn't awaken it…" Kiki murmured.

"If it were so simple, they'd have done it before now," Mu sighed.

"You think it'll go any better for the Chamaeleon girl?"

"Unlikely, but…" He suddenly remembered he was talking to a child. A professional, yes, but a doubtless-scared child that he'd brought into this den of evil. He looked down at the boy with a kind smile. "Well, Kiki, you know how dangerous a true Saint in a corner is. With the world on her shoulders, her heart burning for justice…that's when you get what you might call a miracle. Never lose hope."

"You…really think? Hey, that's the truth, right?"

His smile froze, and he looked back up towards Taurus. _Never lose hope._

* * *

As she ran, June noted with some concern the flame clock that hovered eternally on the edge of the few from the great staircase. The first flame was already out, and the second was starting to dim.

She reached the final few stairs, leaping over them and skidding to a halt in the temple's doorway, fully alert. "Where are you…" she muttered.

As soon as her eyes had adjusted to the reduced light inside, she realised that ten minutes may have been far too long. Seiya, Shaina, Jabu, Ikki, Shun—all five lay strewn around the temple's floor, groaning and struggling without success to get up, surrounded by shattered columns and rubble from the torn-up floor.

"What the hell…" _What _are _these Golds?! _Just as she thought this, an vast shadow cast itself over her, blocking out the sunlight from outside—someone enormous now stood in the doorway behind her. His arms were folded, the edges of his silhouette where light creeped in gleamed a burnished gold, and a pair of metal horns curved upwards from his heavy-set helmet.

"No-one is permitted to pass through this temple," the giant rumbled. "So speaks Taurus Aldebaran!"

* * *

The Pope gave a cackle, advancing a step; Saori felt the sweat beads multiplying on her forehead as his blast pressed into hers.

"How are you feeling, Athena?" he called, thrusting his hand forwards and pumping more power into the attack. "Feel your limit approaching?"

"Nowhere near," she insisted, short of breath.

_Still…this is taking far too long, _he decided. _I'll work my way around to the other side of the room…towards the entrance…Aphrodite's temple is the nearest. He's one of my conspirators—with his help, this will be over in—_

_You will do no such thing, _a clear, resonant voice in his head answered, and he found himself unable to manoeuvre as planned.

"Damn you!" he spat aloud, clenching his free hand to his head in irritation, claw-like fingernails tearing little rents into the metal of his helmet.

_I can't stop you from fighting entirely, _the voice continued. _Your will is strong—your desire to kill Athena, even stronger. But with you so focused on that, I can do this much…_

"You…_you_…" He growled, his voice lower and more guttural than ever. "Always interfering! We'd be ruling this world already if it wasn't for you and your damn…and your damn…you…damn you…"

Saori was naturally confused that her opponent appeared to be arguing with someone she couldn't see or hear. _In fact, for a moment…it felt like his spirit was split in two…what's going on?_

_In any case, he's distracted. _She clasped both hands firmly around her staff, swiping it in a full sideways arc in front of her and pushing her beam to its full intensity, overpowering the false Pope's in his moment of weakness, the attack breaking through and smacking into him, hurling him back into his throne and smashing him and it into the floor, the ancient seat of power shattering into pebbles.

Forcing back fatigue, she kept the weapon held high, advancing on him before he could get up. "_En garde!_"

* * *

_The next chapter will feature the main battle in Taurus Temple, naturally. With some of the craziness I've got planned, "one Temple per chapter" isn't necessarily going to work for the entire arc, but it'll probably do for the first handful at least._

_And next time might actually be one that doesn't take an age to write and upload? But don't quote me on that, haha._

**Q: **AWESOME STORY WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

**A:** This!


	24. Chapter 24: Taurus

**Chapter 24: Taurus**

_Hope you like the technique I came up with here! June didn't really have a signature move previously, and I had her aiming to come up with something during the previous training bit for that reason._

_Anyway…wow, a chapter that didn't take an age!_

* * *

June darted back across the room, instantly on guard; the wall of a man remained unmoving.

_He's not scratched, and everyone's down…this difference in power is insane! _She steeled herself, fixing him with a fierce expression. "Must be even stronger than I'd feared. But we're not stopping this early…I _will _take you down!"

Aldebaran nodded towards Seiya, who had tried to rise but collapsed again immediately. "Do you think you can do any better than them?"

"I'm not the same as before," she said. "I've discovered it…Chameleon's true power. _Spectrum Shift: Red!_" Her Cosmos sprung up visibly around her, changing in colour to a deep, pure red, the aura forming into a series of sharp-tipped tendrils surrounding her. At her command, they leapt at Aldebaran, lashing at him like a living flame—but they swung through empty air, the _clink_ of metal now coming from behind her.

Something she couldn't see struck her, and she was flying through the air—shaking off the daze brought on by the impact, she slammed a fist into her open palm in front of her. "_Shift Orange!_" With her energy changed colour to match, it now formed into a hard-light rectangle in front of her; she twisted to face it and kicked off of it, launching herself back at Aldebaran and landing just in front of him.

She threw an uppercut as she rose out of the crouch, hoping to catch him in the moment of surprise, but he stepped out of the way with contemptuous ease, reaching for her outstretched arm. She hurriedly formed another orange-Cosmos construct around it, creating a makeshift gauntlet hat shielded her from the brunt of his implacable grip. He frowned, tightening his fingers and crushing the object, but it was already empty—she'd withdrawn her arm, and was leaping at him again. He sighed, re-folding his arms and watching her angle of approach.

"_Shift Yellow!_" Her now-bright yellow aura enveloped her, and she seemed to vanish, dissolving into a single streak of light that reformed back into her physical body behind him. _Now _he was taken by surprise, and she took the opportunity, her leg smashing into the back of his head.

The only result of which, unfortunately, was June falling back with a pained hiss, rubbing her aching shin.

Aldebaran turned around, smiling. "Well, you touched me. That's better than the rest of them did. That's an impressive technique…does every part of the spectrum change your aura?" He shrugged. "Ah…never mind. I don't plan on letting you use them all."

"You aren't even gonna take up a proper stance?" she asked.

"I can take any number of you Bronzes like this," he replied, his body tensing up slightly. "Here I come!"

"_Shift Blue!" _she yelled, crossing her arms in front of her face as her aura, as well as changing colour, became a spherical shield around her—just as some immense force crashed into her. Again, she hadn't seen Aldebaran move. The shield broke apart under the invisibly-fast attack, but she managed to stay on her feet, gasping as she drew on her reserves to reform the barrier.

"I'll have to get a bit more serious…" Aldebaran grumbled. He fell still for a moment, before emitting a sudden flash of light. "GREAT HORN!"

This one was incomparable to the last; she blacked out for a second, and when she came to she was slumped against the cracked wall, shivering.

_Have to thank Mu…wasn't for the repairs, that'd have killed me…_

Aldebaran stood in the centre of the room, gazing around at his downed opponents. "It will give me no pleasure to finish you off, but it must be done. You have defiled Sanctuary—"

"Hold…up."

"Hm?" An eye gleamed beneath the low-browed helmet as the Taurus Saint cast a stern glance back over his shoulder. Ikki was standing, one hand resting against a torn-up piece of the floor to hold himself up, Andromeda's chains stirring around him.

"Like hell we're stopping," he said, pushing off his support and raising his fists with a rustle of shifting metal.

"This is futile…" Aldebaran sounded almost sad. "I have no desire to prolong your death."

"C'mon!" Heedless of the danger, Ikki threw himself at the Gold Saint. The next couple minutes were painful to watch, the others slowly getting their strength back but not yet able to help, as every time Ikki got anywhere close to Aldebaran there came another flash; one of the imperceptibly-fast attacks struck home and forced him back, shattering the masonry around him as he tumbled. But every time, he dragged himself forwards again, forcing a cocksure grin onto his face.

"At least try and think of a new plan," Aldebaran said with a disinterested look. "Chameleon was able to catch me off-guard. You're just doing the same thing over and over, expecting a different result."

Ikki sighed, levering himself out of the latest crater indented in the wall, hopping shakily down to the floor, rubble cascading off of him. "Well…I'm not smart like she is."

"Then continuing will only kill you. Your Cloth and your body will give out eventually."

"I don't know about that…" The grin reappeared. "What I _am _is stubborn." He drew his fists in at his sides, brow furrowing as a violent Cosmos sparked up around him. "The most stubborn on Earth!"

"I-Ikki!" Shun was up, and rushed over to his brother, trying to support him. "Stop, he'll kill you! Let me—"

Ikki brushed the attempt off. "It's okay. You guys go on ahead."

"Huh?"

"What's that?" Aldebaran asked. "No-one is passing while I stand."

"Sorry, but…" Ikki focused his Cosmos into the dangling chains, and they sprung to life—revealing themselves to be laid out in an intricate pattern around Aldebaran, leaping out from behind cover to clamp down around him from all sides, holding him in place. "…you're fighting _me_. Everybody, out!"

"But—" Shun began.

"_Now!_" He sounded desperate.

June put a hand on Shun's shoulder. "Don't worry. You need to keep moving—I'll keep your brother alive. I promise."

"O…Okay…" He turned away and sprinted off after Shaina, who was practically dragging Seiya and Jabu after her. Shortly, Aldebaran was left with only two opponents.

His eyes had been closed for a while; now, they opened, his internal thought process having come to a conclusion. "You're not as stupid as you say, Andromeda. You were laying lengths of your chains around the temple every time I sent you flying…"

"You didn't think the Andromeda Saint attacking with his fists was strange?" Ikki laughed.

"You're right…I should have realised. And now most of the intruders have passed me. I'll make up for that mistake…" The Gold hunched his shoulders, his arms flexing outwards, the simple movement throwing the chains off and sending them cascading down around him. "…by crushing you both right away."

"Thanks for getting Shun moving," Ikki muttered as the pair of Bronzes backed away from their liberated opponent. "But I was hoping no-one else would have to stay but me…"

"Someone had to bail you out, and if training taught me anything, we make a pretty good team," she pointed out.

"You got a plan?"

"Maybe…I need a good look at his attack. Can you block one proper hit?"

"That's another maybe."

"I'll take it."

Aldebaran re-assumed his 'stance', feet wide, arms crossed, glaring across the chamber at them. He fell silent—the only sound for a minute was Ikki's laboured breathing.

Then on some unseen signal Aldebaran's eyes snapped open, his unspeakably-vast Cosmos rising to a peak.

Gritting his teeth in preparation for impact, Ikki jerked both chains up into an wide encircling defensive position around both him and June. "_Rolling Defence!"_

Another ridiculously-brief flash of light emanated from Aldebaran, and then—"_Great Horn!"_—and then the wave of deadly force broke over them, crumpling their defence, Ikki collapsing backwards.

June caught him before he could fall, setting him down gently. "Thank you…I think I saw his secret."

"'Course you did," he mumbled. "Counting on you, June."

She nodded, standing to face the Gold Saint. "I saw it that time, Aldebaran."

He snorted. "I doubt it. There's no way your eyes could follow my lightspeed movements."

"Maybe not, but you have to accelerate and decelerate—I caught the beginning and end, when you started to move out of your stance and when you returned to it." She pointed over at him. "Your fists are like a samurai's sword. Draw, single strike, sheathe, all before the enemy knows what happened." She saw his face wrinkle up in worry at this, so she continued. "If he can pull off that manoeuvre, a samurai can kill someone in an instant. But if it goes beyond that first strike, if he has to draw his sword for real, _then _it's a fight."

Aldebaran barked a short laugh. "Thorough! I'm impressed! But what good does knowing that do you? Impressive as you are for a Bronze, you're ten years too early to fight me." His words had as little effect as usual, and she rushed in to attack again. He wasted no time in launching what he intended to be the finisher once more. "_Great Horn!"_

"_Spectrum Shift: Indigo!" _With the new colour, his attack seemed to slide around and off her aura, redirecting harmlessly away, or attempting to; but there was simply too much power coming her way to avoid entirely, and she was still flung off-course, landing on her side next to him. She scrambled up, throwing a hand out in his direction. "_Shift Violet!" _Her aura, now forming into an indistinct, misty cloud, projected outwards and buzzed around his head, filling his mind with strange and disturbing images.

He growled, arching his back and digging his feet in. _A psychic attack… _"You think…that will work?!" His iron will kept him safe, but he was still disoriented by the unexpected nature of the attack, so resorted to a widespread burst of Cosmos projected from his left side, covering enough area so as to ensure a hit, but weaker as a result.

It was still enough to rock June to her core, lacking a defensive-oriented Cloth like Andromeda's. Flying back through the air once more, she almost blacked out again, the world around her seeming distant and indistinct. Hovering on the edge of consciousness, she felt like she was in freefall.

_I guess I couldn't do it, Mu…the Seventh Sense…taking on the Golds…this is my limit…_

_No._

_This can't be all I've got. Is this the Saint Albiore trained? One of the only Saints actually fighting for Athena anymore? The person Shun trusted with his brother's life?_

Her eyes opened wide, blurred vision resolving itself into sudden clarity—and something _more _than clarity. Something new, that she couldn't quite place.

Twisting in mid-air, she hit the wall feet-first, springing back off of it and propelling herself back at Aldebaran, relishing the surprise on his face. She drew back a fist, jagged sparks of light enveloping it, fixing her gaze on him. He moved to sidestep out of her path, but somehow, not fast enough—she shot past him, smashing her charged-up punch into his face, snapping his head to the side.

She landed in front of him, skidding to a halt with a spray of sparks from her heels, panting and looking down at her own hand in surprise.

Aldebaran blinked, feeling actual pain where she'd hit him. _That power was…_

_Don't tell me—!_

"Hey…June, was it? Did you…"

She squared her stance, smiling up at him. "Sorry. I didn't feel like waiting ten years."

* * *

_As I mentioned last time, I wanted to do a one-chapter-per-temple thing for a bit, and have the entirety of Taurus temple happen in this chapter…but then I went and wrote it and this was a great break point._


End file.
